Integration monitor is a daily Latvian press digest on ethnic minority and society integration issues. The Monitor reviews the biggest Latvian dailies: Diena, Latvijas Avize, Neatkariga (in Latvian language), Vesti Segodnya (in Russian language). In specific cases other information sources are used. Latvian Centre for Human Rights is not responsible for information published by the media.

Press Review

Press Review

The Presidium of the Saeima decided the summon an extraordinary sitting of the Saeima to consider the third reading of the draft language law.

The Presidium of the Saeima decided the summon an extraordinary sitting of the Saeima to consider the third reading of the draft language law. Neatkariga, Jauna Avize

The Speaker of the Saeima A.Cepanis met the President of Byelorussia A.Lukashenko. The main topics of discussion were demarcation of borders and readmitting of refugees. Although the both parties did not have any major objections to the border issue, no real progress was made. Byelorussia lacks money for arranging the border with Latvia, and A.Cepanis refused a possibility that Latvia could start arranging its border unilaterally. Concerning readmitting of refugees, Byelorussia has no serious policy concerning illegal immigrants. A.Lukashenko proposed to solve this issue by involving also Russia and Lithuania in this process. Answering to this, A.Cepanis said that an agreement on readmitting could be the start of this process. Byelorussian part refrained from discussing of the problem of non-citizens in Latvia. When journalists asked the Speaker about this at a press conference, he answered that there were no oppression of Byelorussians in Latvia if one of them had been elected to the Saeima. A.Cepanis mother is a Byelorussian.

The Speaker of the Saeima A.Cepanis met the President of Byelorussia A.Lukashenko. The main topics of discussion were demarcation of borders and readmitting of refugees. Although the both parties did not have any major objections to the border issue, no real progress was made. Byelorussia lacks money for arranging the border with Latvia, and A.Cepanis refused a possibility that Latvia could start arranging its border unilaterally. Concerning readmitting of refugees, Byelorussia has no serious policy concerning illegal immigrants. A.Lukashenko proposed to solve this issue by involving also Russia and Lithuania in this process. Answering to this, A.Cepanis said that an agreement on readmitting could be the start of this process. Byelorussian part refrained from discussing of the problem of non-citizens in Latvia. When journalists asked the Speaker about this at a press conference, he answered that there were no oppression of Byelorussians in Latvia if one of them had been elected to the Saeima. A.Cepanis mother is a Byelorussian. Neatkariga

Several newspapers add that A.Lukasenko has called to protect Byelorussian citizens, both Byelorussians and Russians, living in Latvia.

Several newspapers add that A.Lukasenko has called to protect Byelorussian citizens, both Byelorussians and Russians, living in Latvia. Diena, Chas , Bizness & Baltiya

The newspaper

The newspaper Neatkariga interviews the leader of TB/LNNK M.Grinblats about his personal and TB/LNNK position on the amendments to the Law on Citizenship and the referendum. M.Grinblats thinks that abolishing of the amendments would not stop the discussion. It the nation decides the amendments to be refused, the new parliament will make some other. Of course, according to the EU recommendations, these children would be some priority group, but it should be linked with the language. M.Grinblats agreed to the statement that EU recommendations on citizenship would be accepted in some or other form, but this form would be more elastic. And he did not think that abolishing of the amendments could cause tension among nations and even conflicts. Latvia has different traditions, and problems here are solved not with the help of weapons. What concerns loyalty towards the state, M.Grinblats agreed that language is not the only criteria of it, but is one of the means for an individual to join the society. He agreed to the statement that abolishing of the amendments could make Latvias joining EU more difficult, but citizenship is not the only criteria used. Neatkariga

Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the statements, made by the Latvian President G.Ulmanis at the UN General Assembly session, as “unfriendly”. G.Ulmanis had centred his speech on “speculations on historic topics” containing an obvious subtext directed against Russia and Russians. Russian MFA noted that Latvian President had tried to prove that it was not Latvian authorities to be blamed for the situation with minorities in Latvia but the consequences of “Soviet occupation regime”.

Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the statements, made by the Latvian President G.Ulmanis at the UN General Assembly session, as unfriendly. G.Ulmanis had centred his speech on speculations on historic topics containing an obvious subtext directed against Russia and Russians. Russian MFA noted that Latvian President had tried to prove that it was not Latvian authorities to be blamed for the situation with minorities in Latvia but the consequences of Soviet occupation regime. Diena, Jauna Avize, Chas, Bizness & Baltiya

Rating of

Rating of Tevzemei un Brivibai/LNNK has decreased to 12.8% in September, but Social Democrats had an increase to 14.2% , and now they are the second most popular political party. The first one is still Peoples Party with 29%. Diena

Movement

Movement Equality, protesting against the planned gradual transition to the Latvian language as the language of tuition in state and municipality financed schools, has collected 70 000 signatures. But Diena verified, at inspecting these lists that these signatures had been collected not as a protest against this language law but as an appeal to include in the draft law a condition of state support to schools with the Russian or a minority language as the language of tuition. Diena, Bizness & Baltiya

The deputy from

The deputy from Equality A.Bartashevich considers that Latvian ruling elite has decided to take a very dangerous step - to endanger the rights and future of the children of national minorities. If the law is adopted, in private school majority of subjects, possibly all of them but the native language and literature, will have to be taught in the state language otherwise the school would not get a license. SM

Activists of the movement

Activists of the movement Equality and some other Russian organisations will collect signatures on September 26 to protect Russian speaking schools in Riga. Panorama Latvii

Estonian Parliamentary Commission has decided to continue the consideration of the amendments to the Law on Citizenship that anticipate granting citizenship to the children of non-citizens, born after the restoration independence, on October 12, after the referendum in Latvia.

Estonian Parliamentary Commission has decided to continue the consideration of the amendments to the Law on Citizenship that anticipate granting citizenship to the children of non-citizens, born after the restoration independence, on October 12, after the referendum in Latvia. Diena

Deputy candidates from the list of

Deputy candidates from the list of Peoples Harmony Party collect signatures to allow the minorities living in Latvia to acquire education in their mother tongue. PHP want education in minority schools to be acquired in the mother tongue and the Latvian language to be a mandatory subject. Party members also suggest to cancel the extraordinary sitting of the Saeima when it is planned to consider the draft language law. Jauna Avize

Almost 1 500 Latvian citizens will not be able to take part in the Saeima election in Rezekne because they have not received their citizen passports, yet. As the DCMA Rezekne office official V.Zaluzinska informed, 300 of them had submitted all necessary documents to receive a passport, they were ready, but nobody came to receive them. As V.Zaluzinska said, the problem could be those 5 Ls, 1 Ls pensioners - to be paid when receiving a passport. There are many people who had showed no interest in receiving the new passport and currently in Rezekne Region there are more than 1000 Latvian citizens with no ID.

Almost 1 500 Latvian citizens will not be able to take part in the Saeima election in Rezekne because they have not received their citizen passports, yet. As the DCMA Rezekne office official V.Zaluzinska informed, 300 of them had submitted all necessary documents to receive a passport, they were ready, but nobody came to receive them. As V.Zaluzinska said, the problem could be those 5 Ls, 1 Ls pensioners - to be paid when receiving a passport. There are many people who had showed no interest in receiving the new passport and currently in Rezekne Region there are more than 1000 Latvian citizens with no ID. Jauna Avize

The consultations between

The consultations between Latvijas Cels and New Party, planned for yesterday, were cancelled for some time in the future due to technical reasons. Chas

A resident of the Republic of Ukraine has spent eight months in Latvian centres for illegal immigrants.

A resident of the Republic of Ukraine has spent eight months in Latvian centres for illegal immigrants. Chas learned about this fact from Ye.Grisheckin, who had spent two weeks together with this person. The Ukrainian was ready to go on a hunger strike until he would be release and even threatened to commit a suicide. He had come to Latvia in 1991, married here but was detained last year by the Immigration police and since then was behind the bars. Chas

Chas

publishes an article by B.Cilevich on the draft language law. He describes the adoption of this law as the last opportunity for parties to show their patriotic feelings to the voters.