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 Report

Press Report

Latvian-Russian intergovernmental commission co-chairman from Latvia, Anatolijs Gorbunovs, approves of proposed cooperation between Riga and Moscow but wants the relevant document to comply with the Latvian law. In the interview to Latvian Radio on Thursday, Gorbunovs called on the Riga Mayor, Gundars Bojars, to sign with Moscow an agreement, which would not be contradictory to the Latvian law. Transportation minister Gorbunovs, who acts as the substitute premier while the Latvian Prime Minister Andris Berzins is having his summer vacation, said that the dialogue between Riga and Moscow should be maintained and it would bolster economic ties between the two cities.

Latvian-Russian intergovernmental commission co-chairman from Latvia, Anatolijs Gorbunovs, approves of proposed cooperation between Riga and Moscow but wants the relevant document to comply with the Latvian law. In the interview to Latvian Radio on Thursday, Gorbunovs called on the Riga Mayor, Gundars Bojars, to sign with Moscow an agreement, which would not be contradictory to the Latvian law. Transportation minister Gorbunovs, who acts as the substitute premier while the Latvian Prime Minister Andris Berzins is having his summer vacation, said that the dialogue between Riga and Moscow should be maintained and it would bolster economic ties between the two cities. BNS, Rigas Balss (Russian version)

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday issued yet another indignant statement over activities by former members of the Latvian SS Waffen unit also called the Latvian Legionnaires. The latest gathering of the old soldiers near the western Latvian town of Tukums on August 4 prompted the Russian ministry to say, "former SS-men continue to stage meetings in Latvia while the authorities keep silent and take it indulgently." "This gathering has reconfirmed that for some people in Latvia, Nazism is not a thing of the remote past," said the Russian Foreign Ministry. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Moscow regarded "such statements and activities of former SS-men in general as a factor provoking serious ethnic tension in Latvia."

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday issued yet another indignant statement over activities by former members of the Latvian SS Waffen unit also called the Latvian Legionnaires. The latest gathering of the old soldiers near the western Latvian town of Tukums on August 4 prompted the Russian ministry to say, "former SS-men continue to stage meetings in Latvia while the authorities keep silent and take it indulgently." "This gathering has reconfirmed that for some people in Latvia, Nazism is not a thing of the remote past," said the Russian Foreign Ministry. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Moscow regarded "such statements and activities of former SS-men in general as a factor provoking serious ethnic tension in Latvia." BNS, Diena, Chas

The UN Human Rights Committee has found that the rights of a Latvian left-wing activist had been violated when she was prevented from running in 1997 local elections due to insufficient knowledge of the state language. The UN committee on July 25, 2001, found as illegal the decision by the Latvian election committee to remove Antonina Ignatane, a Latvian citizen, from the list of candidates in municipal elections, because the woman was not fluent in Latvian. The committee's findings were Thursday made public by Ignatane's representative, Tatyana Zhdanok, one of the

The UN Human Rights Committee has found that the rights of a Latvian left-wing activist had been violated when she was prevented from running in 1997 local elections due to insufficient knowledge of the state language. The UN committee on July 25, 2001, found as illegal the decision by the Latvian election committee to remove Antonina Ignatane, a Latvian citizen, from the list of candidates in municipal elections, because the woman was not fluent in Latvian. The committee's findings were Thursday made public by Ignatane's representative, Tatyana Zhdanok, one of the

leaders in the left-wing alliance For Equal Rights. The UN Human Rights Committee rejected the Latvian government's argument that Latvian language proficiency is obligatory for election candidates and this requirement is reasonable and objective. The committee said the language proficiency couldn’t be used as restriction for citizens to run in elections. The UN committee stated that the Latvian State was under obligation to provide Ignatane with an effective remedy and to take steps to prevent similar violations occurring in future. Within 90 days Latvia is to report to the UN Human Rights Committee about the measures taken to give effect to the committee's ruling. The committee also said the Latvian municipal election law provision, requiring candidates to obtain from the State Language Board a Latvian language proficiency certificate, was contradictory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Zhdanok said the UN Human Rights Committee decisions are of recommending nature, as opposed to verdicts made by the European Court of Human Rights, however, countries usually try to abide by the decisions made. The committee does not decide on financial compensation. "There will be a great scandal, if the state ignores this decision," said the leftist human right activist. Zhdanok suggested that in this case "the responsibility lies with" the State Language Board head Dzintra Hirsa. She said Hirsa should be punished for illegal actions in order to be motivated not to commit any human rights violations in future. The complaint by Ignatane was the first complaint from Latvia in which the UN Human Rights Committee had made a decision but about ten more complaints from Latvia have been accepted for review. There have been more complaints but the state usually remedies violations in the first stage of the proceedings when the UN committee asks it to provide its arguments.

leaders in the left-wing alliance For Equal Rights. The UN Human Rights Committee rejected the Latvian government's argument that Latvian language proficiency is obligatory for election candidates and this requirement is reasonable and objective. The committee said the language proficiency couldnt be used as restriction for citizens to run in elections. The UN committee stated that the Latvian State was under obligation to provide Ignatane with an effective remedy and to take steps to prevent similar violations occurring in future. Within 90 days Latvia is to report to the UN Human Rights Committee about the measures taken to give effect to the committee's ruling. The committee also said the Latvian municipal election law provision, requiring candidates to obtain from the State Language Board a Latvian language proficiency certificate, was contradictory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Zhdanok said the UN Human Rights Committee decisions are of recommending nature, as opposed to verdicts made by the European Court of Human Rights, however, countries usually try to abide by the decisions made. The committee does not decide on financial compensation. "There will be a great scandal, if the state ignores this decision," said the leftist human right activist. Zhdanok suggested that in this case "the responsibility lies with" the State Language Board head Dzintra Hirsa. She said Hirsa should be punished for illegal actions in order to be motivated not to commit any human rights violations in future. The complaint by Ignatane was the first complaint from Latvia in which the UN Human Rights Committee had made a decision but about ten more complaints from Latvia have been accepted for review. There have been more complaints but the state usually remedies violations in the first stage of the proceedings when the UN committee asks it to provide its arguments. BNS, Respublika, Panorama Latvii, Vesti Segodnya, Chas

Russia's public television channel ORT is set to broadcast a documentary on Latvia's President Vaira Vike-Freiberga on Thursday evening, as part of its Formula of Power series project. "Formula of Power. Latvia's President" will be broadcast on ORT at 23:45 Moscow time, an hour earlier in Latvia and three hours earlier GMT. Formula of power is a joint project by Russia's ORT TV, ITAR-TASS news agency and Moskovsky Novosty newspaper. The series includes reports, films and interviews. The film set to be broadcast on Thursday will speak of Vike-Freiberga's fate, her life in exile and her family, as well as her beliefs as to what the life of every Latvian should be like in ten years time.

Russia's public television channel ORT is set to broadcast a documentary on Latvia's President Vaira Vike-Freiberga on Thursday evening, as part of its Formula of Power series project. "Formula of Power. Latvia's President" will be broadcast on ORT at 23:45 Moscow time, an hour earlier in Latvia and three hours earlier GMT. Formula of power is a joint project by Russia's ORT TV, ITAR-TASS news agency and Moskovsky Novosty newspaper. The series includes reports, films and interviews. The film set to be broadcast on Thursday will speak of Vike-Freiberga's fate, her life in exile and her family, as well as her beliefs as to what the life of every Latvian should be like in ten years time. BNS

President of Latvian Bank E.Repse does not plan to join any of the existing parties and he did not deny a possibility to establish a new right wing party. Diena, Rigas Balss, Respublika,

President of Latvian Bank E.Repse does not plan to join any of the existing parties and he did not deny a possibility to establish a new right wing party. Diena, Rigas Balss, Respublika,

A.Pereligin, Councilor to Moscow City Mayor Luzhkov will not receive Latvian visa to attend Riga 800 anniversary. His name is included in the list of persons non-grata for one years when last autumn due to security reasons he was refused a Latvian visa.

A.Pereligin, Councilor to Moscow City Mayor Luzhkov will not receive Latvian visa to attend Riga 800 anniversary. His name is included in the list of persons non-grata for one years when last autumn due to security reasons he was refused a Latvian visa. Diena

State Language Center will invite several Riga City Council deputies individually to take the state language test. Center’s Director Dz.Hirsha said that For Human Rights in United Latvia faction deputies I.Ivanov, V.Buzajev, G.Kotov and O.Schipcov and Russian Party representative M.Gavrilov will be asked to come to the Center in September to test their language knowledge.

State Language Center will invite several Riga City Council deputies individually to take the state language test. Centers Director Dz.Hirsha said that For Human Rights in United Latvia faction deputies I.Ivanov, V.Buzajev, G.Kotov and O.Schipcov and Russian Party representative M.Gavrilov will be asked to come to the Center in September to test their language knowledge. Neatkariga

In an interview to Latvian Radio Ministry of Education and Science K.Greiskalns, speaking about the latest events concerning education in the Russian language, said that such political activities could be expected but he did not see any problems within the framework of education law because students did not have problems to master the state language to be able to enter Latvian high schools. And 2004 is a realistic time to implement the law. Minister was sure that the Latvian language training level at Russian speaking schools was high enough let students in grades 5 –6 would master proper Latvian by 2004 when they would have to start learning only in the state language.

In an interview to Latvian Radio Ministry of Education and Science K.Greiskalns, speaking about the latest events concerning education in the Russian language, said that such political activities could be expected but he did not see any problems within the framework of education law because students did not have problems to master the state language to be able to enter Latvian high schools. And 2004 is a realistic time to implement the law. Minister was sure that the Latvian language training level at Russian speaking schools was high enough let students in grades 5 –6 would master proper Latvian by 2004 when they would have to start learning only in the state language. Latvijas Vestnesis

Head of Naturalization Board E.Aldermane in an interview to Latvian TV said that she personally did not like the word naturalization and she had proposed to exchange it with “Citizenship Affairs Board”. It would be just logical because the Board is dealing with all aspects of citizenship. E.Aldermane agreed that there were features of two-community society in Latvia and it had been proved by scientific research. At the end of August they held a research within PHARE program “Analysis on mass media” on what Latvian and Russian press write about national, citizenship, integration issues. And the picture received was not a pleasant one. E.Aldermane sees naturalization as the first step in the integration process.

Head of Naturalization Board E.Aldermane in an interview to Latvian TV said that she personally did not like the word naturalization and she had proposed to exchange it with Citizenship Affairs Board. It would be just logical because the Board is dealing with all aspects of citizenship. E.Aldermane agreed that there were features of two-community society in Latvia and it had been proved by scientific research. At the end of August they held a research within PHARE program Analysis on mass media on what Latvian and Russian press write about national, citizenship, integration issues. And the picture received was not a pleasant one. E.Aldermane sees naturalization as the first step in the integration process. Latvijas Vestnesis

Leader of youth movement I.Stalnoy received a second call from the Security Police officers with an invitation for a meeting. When I.Stalnoy took some journalists with him to the agreed place, nobody from SP showed up. Later he and his friend and assistant Y.Obolevich were taken to the SP office for a discussion. Meanwhile Riga City Council refused Solidarnost to organize a picket at the City Council to support Russian speaking schools.

Vesti Segodnya, Panorama Latvii, Chas

Russian speaking newspaper Vesti Segodnya writes about a scandal when Latvian President V.Vike-Freiberga during the opening ceremony of Aizgarsa border cross point saw that there was no actual marked border scolded the Minister of Interior M.Seglins who excused himself with the absence of bilateral Latvian – Russian agreement on border demarcation and that also EU experts had suggested not to hurry. On that President said that border agreement should not be used as a means of international blackmailing. And therefor Latvia would unilaterally arrange its borders and on its own territory. According to the President border should be marked a few meters from the established border, all bushes cut let borderguards could have good observation possibilities. The newspaper states that it seems that Latvia is going to mark a none-existing border and it is a gross violation of international standards and could lead to a serious scandal.

Vesti Segodnya