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

Yesterday the DCMA received an official information about military persons of the Skrunda Radar Station whose residence permits expired 31 December 1998. Forty military persons and their families left Latvia. A spouse and a daughter of a military person stayed in Latvia due to injuries got before the departure, but they will leave soon, the head of the DCMA Andris Janis Lejins informed the press.

Yesterday the DCMA received an official information about military persons of the Skrunda Radar Station whose residence permits expired 31 December 1998. Forty military persons and their families left Latvia. A spouse and a daughter of a military person stayed in Latvia due to injuries got before the departure, but they will leave soon, the head of the DCMA Andris Janis Lejins informed the press. Diena

The draft budget of 1999 provides for an increase in financing of education system for 9.4%. It will go for the crediting of students and investments. At the same time, no money for participation in the EU 5th framework program, transition to education in the state language as well as other priorities of education sphere mentioned in the governmental declaration has been allocated.

The draft budget of 1999 provides for an increase in financing of education system for 9.4%. It will go for the crediting of students and investments. At the same time, no money for participation in the EU 5th framework program, transition to education in the state language as well as other priorities of education sphere mentioned in the governmental declaration has been allocated. Diena

The Saeima Human Rights Commission considers a possibility to start work on a draft law on national minority languages, the chair of the commission Antons Seiksts told DIENA. It was a proposal of the fraction “

The Saeima Human Rights Commission considers a possibility to start work on a draft law on national minority languages, the chair of the commission Antons Seiksts told DIENA. It was a proposal of the fraction For Human Rights in the United Latvia to define a status of national minority languages, which the Commission supported on Monday. The Commission also supported a proposal stating that it is not necessary for export goods and services to contain markings in the state language which is an obligatory requirement for goods distributed within the country. Diena

Chasinforms that by 1 January 1999 twenty two teachers in Liepaja had not passed the state language examination. Sixteen of them will be dismissed, chair of the School Board of Liepaja told.

Panorama Latvii informs that at the end of the last year it was found that 20 teachers of Daugavpils possessed counterfeited certificates about the command of the Latvian language. According to Head of the School Board of Daugavpils J. Dukshinski, these teachers most likely will be dismissed. Panorama Latvii

The government has not adopted regulations according to which children born after 21 August 1991 will be granted citizenship as provided for by the Amendments to the Citizenship Law. Head of the Naturalisation Board Eizenija Aldermane does not think that it can cause serious problems, since the regulations are prepared and most likely will be adopted next week. At the same time, the NB staff has received draft regulations according to which they can inform persons interested in submitting applications about the necessary documents. At the moment, all applicants are put on a waiting list. Boris Tsilevich (

The government has not adopted regulations according to which children born after 21 August 1991 will be granted citizenship as provided for by the Amendments to the Citizenship Law. Head of the Naturalisation Board Eizenija Aldermane does not think that it can cause serious problems, since the regulations are prepared and most likely will be adopted next week. At the same time, the NB staff has received draft regulations according to which they can inform persons interested in submitting applications about the necessary documents. At the moment, all applicants are put on a waiting list. Boris Tsilevich ( For Human Rights in the United Latvia) expressed a concern about the staff of the Naturalisation Board which might not be prepared for flow of applicants. Rigas Balss

SM commentator A. Elkin predicts that in this year there might be positive tendencies in the Russian-Latvian relations such as resumption of the work of the intergovernmental working group and meetings of high ranking officials. At the same time, Mr. Elkin observes that the relations can be undermined in a case Latvia ignores the OSCE recommendations concerning the draft Language law.

SM commentator A. Elkin predicts that in this year there might be positive tendencies in the Russian-Latvian relations such as resumption of the work of the intergovernmental working group and meetings of high ranking officials. At the same time, Mr. Elkin observes that the relations can be undermined in a case Latvia ignores the OSCE recommendations concerning the draft Language law. SM

Panorama Latvii publishes excerpts from an interview with the State President Guntis Ulmanis published in the Russian newspaper NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA at the end of the last year. Speaking about education system, Mr. Ulmanis reminded that at the moment education in Latvia is conducted in eight languages. Besides, the education in the Russian language is financed by the state.

Panorama Latvii publishes an interview with the Saeima deputy and a member of the Commission on Human Rights Miroslav Mitrofanov (For Human Rights) who expresses a regret that the Commission did not take into account arguments of the fraction For Human Rights for liberalising the draft Language Law. Mr. Mitrofanov expects that during his upcoming visit the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities will present the same recommendations as during his previous visits. In conclusion, a journalist who took an interview, comments that according to information received from Moscow, the High Commissioner had expressed a thought that it might be worth to make concessions to such an unimportant issue as the language. Besides, the journalist argues that a reason for such tiredness of the Commissioner might be his nomination for a Noble Peace Prize which requires recommendation letters from different countries, including Latvia. Rumours are that the Saeima Commission on Human Rights was ask to give such a recommendation and it refused to include this question in its agenda, most likely with a purpose to make the candidate yield.