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

On Friday

On Friday the Peoples Party and For Fatherland and Freedom had collected a half of needed amount of signatures for summoning an extraordinary session of the Saeima on 16 June to adopt the State Language law in the final reading. Social Democrats also support the initiative. However, the responsible commission - the Standing Commission on Education, Culture and Science has not prepared the draft language law for the consideration in the Saeima in the third reading, the Chair of the Commission Dz. Abikis told DIENA. As informed earlier, the commission decided to postpone the consideration till August. The Chair of the Saeima Legal Office G. Kusins argues that accordance with the Saeima Role of Procedure a final draft law should be prepared by the responsible commission. Moreover the parliament can consider a draft law only after it has been made available to deputies at least five days prior to the consideration. Thus, if upon the initiative of some deputies the extraordinary session is summoned, there will be no draft law to be considered since the responsible commission will not have prepared it. Diena

Neatkarigainforms about the collection of signatures for summoning the extraordinary session of the Saeima to adopt the state language law in the final reading. According to NEATKARIGA, the Latvian Way and the New Party will decide whether to support the initiative of the Peoples Party and For Fatherland and Freedom. The Social Democrats might sign the initiative while For Human Rights will not support it. Neatkariga

SM commenting the initiative of For Fatherland and Freedom to summon an extraordinary session of the Saeima to adopt the State Language Law, argues that deputies have ignored not only the opinion of national minorities who ask to amend the draft law, but also an advice of the OSCE High Commissioner Max van der Stoel to postpone the consideration till the fall. SM

Subbota publishes an interview with a candidate for the State President’s office Anatolijs Gorbunovs who thinks that the social integration is the main issue to be dealt with when he becoms the State President. According to him, it is necessary to awaken in all people the feeling of belonging to this state and responsibility. The state, in its turn should provide security and stable life.

Subbota publishes an interview with a candidate for the State Presidents office Anatolijs Gorbunovs who thinks that the social integration is the main issue to be dealt with when he becoms the State President. According to him, it is necessary to awaken in all people the feeling of belonging to this state and responsibility. The state, in its turn should provide security and stable life. Subbota

In order to assess the Latvian history in the 20th century, especially emphasising the legacy of the Second World War, and to prevent wrong assumptions about those events, the commission of historians formed on the initiative of the State President, the Latvian History Institute, the National Archive and the Latvian University Department of History organises a conference “Latvia in the Second World War” on 14-15 June.

In order to assess the Latvian history in the 20th century, especially emphasising the legacy of the Second World War, and to prevent wrong assumptions about those events, the commission of historians formed on the initiative of the State President, the Latvian History Institute, the National Archive and the Latvian University Department of History organises a conference Latvia in the Second World War on 14-15 June.

At the event devoted to the 200th anniversary of the Russian Poet A. Pushkin some 300 (

At the event devoted to the 200th anniversary of the Russian Poet A. Pushkin some 300 (Neatkariga mentions - 150, while SM - 300 to 400 and CHAS - 500) people protested against the draft language law. Along with the reciting the Pushkins poems the participants criticised the draft language law which restricts the development and freedom of the Russian language.