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

On Friday the Joint Committee on the Skrunda Radar informed journalists that the dismantling of the Radar is conducted in accordance with the international agreements and there are no doubts that the last active military person of the Russian army would leave Latvia by 29 February 2000. The Russian representative A. Nikitin said that the dismantling of the Radar might be completed in October this year. The Latvian representative Edgars Skuja told journalists that Russian party has considerably reduced the number of military personnel and the amount of ammunition. The OSCE Representative Juergen Huebschen stated that both parties fully comply with the Agreement. The work is done in professional and co-operative way.

On Friday the Joint Committee on the Skrunda Radar informed journalists that the dismantling of the Radar is conducted in accordance with the international agreements and there are no doubts that the last active military person of the Russian army would leave Latvia by 29 February 2000. The Russian representative A. Nikitin said that the dismantling of the Radar might be completed in October this year. The Latvian representative Edgars Skuja told journalists that Russian party has considerably reduced the number of military personnel and the amount of ammunition. The OSCE Representative Juergen Huebschen stated that both parties fully comply with the Agreement. The work is done in professional and co-operative way. Diena

Russia pays 5 million dollars annually for the rent of the land of the Skrunda Radar Station. The dismantling has cost two million dollars. The Colonel Nikitin refused to tell the exact amount of expenses, 

Russia pays 5 million dollars annually for the rent of the land of the Skrunda Radar Station. The dismantling has cost two million dollars. The Colonel Nikitin refused to tell the exact amount of expenses,Neatkariga writes.

The Saeima Standing Committee on Implementation of Citizenship Law has prepared the amendments to the Law on the Status of Former USSR Citizens Who are Not Citizens of Latvia and Any Other Country providing instances of losing the status of non-citizen.

The Saeima Standing Committee on Implementation of Citizenship Law has prepared the amendments to the Law on the Status of Former USSR Citizens Who are Not Citizens of Latvia and Any Other Country providing instances of losing the status of non-citizen. Diena in Russian

During the 3rd congress of the For Fatherland and Freedom taking place on Saturday delegates adopted a resolution stating that approval of the OSCE recommendations on the state language law might threaten the existence of the Latvian language.

During the 3rd congress of the For Fatherland and Freedom taking place on Saturday delegates adopted a resolution stating that approval of the OSCE recommendations on the state language law might threaten the existence of the Latvian language. Diena

SM provides more extensive coverage of the congress. It is said that the Party called the Saeima deputies not to yield to recommendations of foreign commissars but to recognise own responsibility about the right of the Latvian nation to communicate in its own language in its own country, to think about the future of the Latvian language and adopt the strict law which would reinforce the primary role of the State language in all spheres of life on whole territory of Latvia. A delegate J. Freimanis called the congress and the fraction For Fatherland and Freedom to deal with the issue of suspending the activity of the Naturalisation Board since there are working historians with diploma issued in the USSR and foreigners who cannot come up with Latvian history as it really was. SM

Three social democratic parties - the Latvian Social Democratic Workers Party, the Latvian Social Democratic Party and the Latgale Democratic Party joined during a congress on Saturday. The leader of the former Social Democratic Party Juris Bojars became the leader of the united party.

Three social democratic parties - the Latvian Social Democratic Workers Party, the Latvian Social Democratic Party and the Latgale Democratic Party joined during a congress on Saturday. The leader of the former Social Democratic Party Juris Bojars became the leader of the united party. Diena

In order to promote integration process the CHAS journalist L. Fedoseev suggests instead of organising big conferences which do not solve anything, to form permanent working groups consisting of people who have earned the trust of not only Latvians.

In order to promote integration process the CHAS journalist L. Fedoseev suggests instead of organising big conferences which do not solve anything, to form permanent working groups consisting of people who have earned the trust of not only Latvians. Chas

In an article for the 

In an article for theDiena in Russian (31 May) V. Sorokin discusses the role of mass media in the integration process. Mr. Sorokin believes that Latvian and Russian journalists cannot agree because they place their own ethnic and political identity over the professional ethics. Speaking about the Russian mass media, Mr Sorokin argues that a half of Russian journalists believe that their task is to provoke the government and actively participate in politics rather than simply tell about events. Mr. Sorokin believes that a politician working in the mass media as a journalist sooner or later violates the freedom of speech even if he/she does not want it. Besides, that activity cannot be called journalism rather the public relations - creating positive image of a favourite politician and party. Diena