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

Diena reviews the world press and concludes that the 16th of March events in Riga did not receive considerable attention by the world mass media. The reaction of the Russian media also was much more moderate this year than last year.

B&B writes that the Russian TV company RTR was the only one which presented the marching of the legionnaires in Riga as the main news of the day. The channel NTV named the past of the legionnaires as the tragedy, but the ORT did not mention the 16th of March events at all. Diena, B&B

In the letter to the Latvian Prime Minister the US Ambassador in Latvia J. Holmes praises the action of the Latvian government, and especially of the Prime Minister, in connection with the 16th of March commemoration day.

In the letter to the Latvian Prime Minister the US Ambassador in Latvia J. Holmes praises the action of the Latvian government, and especially of the Prime Minister, in connection with the 16th of March commemoration day. Diena, Panorama Latvii

The World Zionist Organisation and the Jewish Association in Israel expressed gratitude to Latvia over its contribution to the Holocaust Fund in the amount of 25, 000 US dollars.

The World Zionist Organisation and the Jewish Association in Israel expressed gratitude to Latvia over its contribution to the Holocaust Fund in the amount of 25, 000 US dollars. Diena

The European Commission urges Latvia to prepare the next progress report by 1 July which will serve as a basis for the EC report and , consequently, the resolution of the EU leaders about the inviting Latvia to the EU accession talk.

The European Commission urges Latvia to prepare the next progress report by 1 July which will serve as a basis for the EC report and , consequently, the resolution of the EU leaders about the inviting Latvia to the EU accession talk. Diena

The Prime Minister Vilis Kristopans requested the Foreign Affairs Minister Valdis Birkavs to assess the compliance of the draft language law with the international law standards. The opinion should be given before the draft law is prepared for the 3rd reading in the parliament.

The Prime Minister Vilis Kristopans requested the Foreign Affairs Minister Valdis Birkavs to assess the compliance of the draft language law with the international law standards. The opinion should be given before the draft law is prepared for the 3rd reading in the parliament. Chasinforms that the head of the Saeima Commission on Education Dzintars Abikis has said that in preparation of the draft langauage law the committee has consulted the experts of the OSCE Mission and they have approved the draft.

The draft law contradicts with the provisions of the Framework Convention on the National Minorities which has been signed by Latvia.

The draft law contradicts with the provisions of the Framework Convention on the National Minorities which has been signed by Latvia. Chas

B&B; and 

B&B andChas inform about the rally of the supporters of the USSR restoration at the Latvian Embassy in Moscow. The participants handed the Latvian Embassy officials a document in which they call for the creation of the voluntary Soviet type federative union of the equal former USSR countries. The Council of the government forming parties postponed the consideration of the issue of dismissal of the National Human Rights Offices director Olafs Bruvers due to the fact that two social democratic parties constituting the Union of the Social Democrats could not agree on the new candidate for the post. At the moment there are two candidates - Elmars Vebers and Antons Petrovskis nominated by the social democrats. Neatkariga

Deputy Chair of the Saeima fraction

Deputy Chair of the Saeima fraction For Human Rights Janis Urbanovich believes that in Latvia the features of the fascism are being observed. He argues that the proof for this statement is the fact that 36 proposals for the draft language law submitted by the fraction For Human Rights were rejected. Today the draft language law which is supported by all fraction except for the fraction For Human Rights, is considered by the parliament in the 2nd reading. SM journalist A. Arkadev reviews the two day meeting of the Committee on the Affairs with the Council of Europe during which the issues of human rights, mass media and the relations between the state and public organisations were discussed. He pays the special attention to the report of the Chair of the Daugavpils Multinational Culture Centre Arturs Prieditis on the Mentality of the European periphery distributed in writing and in the Latvian language only. This report contains the critics against the Latvian government concerning the language policy.

Chaswrites about the court case of the Shishkin family vs. the DCMA in which the Shishkins claimed the right to have their family name written in the English transcription as Shishkins and not as Siskins as the DCMA had done.