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

TB/LNNK

announced of Thursday that they consider the government declaration elaborated by V.Kristopans to be incomplete and put forward their own theses of the basic activity principles for the new government. Thus, TB/LNNK agreed to the principle, declared by Peoples Party, that, before forming the government, at first an agreement on basic government activities should be reached. Deputy Chairman of TB/LNNK J.Dobelis expressed an opinion that the declaration of Latvijas Cels did not evidence about a serious approach, and it was possible that this document was meant to be as a potential government activity project for the 6th Saeima. Along with criticizing Latvijas Cels, TB/LNNK also named, in their opinion, most important tasks and principles for the new government. The first was strict supervision of naturalization process. TB/LNNK representatives informed that they has submitted their basic principles to all parties involved and the State President. Neatkariga, Jauna Avize

Neatkariga

analyses the composition of the new Saeima, finding out that 64 % of all deputies are new comers to the Saeima. One could hope that these people could stop bad traditions of the 6th Saeima, but analyses the composition of the new Saeima, finding out that 64 % of all deputies are new comers to the Saeima. One could hope that these people could stop bad traditions of the 6th Saeima, but NeatkarigaNeatkariga is not so optimistic, saying that internal discipline of parties and their engines could slow down vigor of these people. is not so optimistic, saying that internal discipline of parties and their “engines” could slow down vigor of these people.

Diena does the same but finds different things, e.g. twice as many women, young people, political migrants and deputies with no former parliament experience have been elected this time, but the number of Latvians in the Saeima has decreased.

Ilga Apine, Professor of the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology writes about the concept of the national integration program, that has been adopted by the government and now will be put forward for public consideration. Anticipating objections against this program as an assimilation not integration program, she compares it to the processes of the whole world. And integration should not be a one sided but two sided process.

Ilga Apine, Professor of the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology writes about the concept of the national integration program, that has been adopted by the government and now will be put forward for public consideration. Anticipating objections against this program as an assimilation not integration program, she compares it to the processes of the whole world. And integration should not be a one sided but two sided process. Diena (Russian version)

Russian ethno-sociologist, Professor K.Habibulin considers that citizenship is not the major problem for non-Latvians. Of course , citizenship is a very important factor , allowing national minorities to feel ties with the country they live in. It is also a precondition for forming a civic society. Buy world experience shows that real integration of a society, making it steady, depend mostly on ensuring national rights of national minorities, and also if the principle of social equality is observed in the relations between the main nationality and national minorities. These national rights are: a possibility to use their mother tongue, having possibilities to develop it, state support to preserve it and a possibility to receive education in their native language - at least the secondary one.

Russian ethno-sociologist, Professor K.Habibulin considers that citizenship is not the major problem for non-Latvians. Of course , citizenship is a very important factor , allowing national minorities to feel ties with the country they live in. It is also a precondition for forming a civic society. Buy world experience shows that real integration of a society, making it steady, depend mostly on ensuring national rights of national minorities, and also if the principle of social equality is observed in the relations between the main nationality and national minorities. These national rights are: a possibility to use their mother tongue, having possibilities to develop it, state support to preserve it and a possibility to receive education in their native language - at least the secondary one. SM