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

It is still unclear however if language restrictions on candidates for Saeima deputies in Latvia could be a hindrance for the closure of the OSCE mission. The situation has been made more problematic by the Estonian parliament’s decision to cross out the requirement that candidates for parliament deputies must know the Estonian language at the highest level. State President meeting with P.Semneby spoke positively about Latvia’s co-operation with the Mission and voiced an opinion that all guidelines of the Mission’s mandate had been fulfilled. Vaira Vike-Freiberga.

It is still unclear however if language restrictions on candidates for Saeima deputies in Latvia could be a hindrance for the closure of the OSCE mission. The situation has been made more problematic by the Estonian parliaments decision to cross out the requirement that candidates for parliament deputies must know the Estonian language at the highest level. State President meeting with P.Semneby spoke positively about Latvias co-operation with the Mission and voiced an opinion that all guidelines of the Missions mandate had been fulfilled. Vaira Vike-Freiberga. Diena, Neatkariga, Latvijas Vestnesis, Vesti Segodnya

His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, today is scheduled to arrive on his two-day visit in Latvia. Prince Charles will come to Latvia from Lithuania. On his first day, he is scheduled to meet with President Vaira Vike-Freiberga, place flowers at the Freedom Monument, visit Riga's architectural landmarks, the First Christ Lutheran Church, the Occupation Museum, and officially open the sawmill owned by British entrepreneurs, "BSW Latvia".

His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, today is scheduled to arrive on his two-day visit in Latvia. Prince Charles will come to Latvia from Lithuania. On his first day, he is scheduled to meet with President Vaira Vike-Freiberga, place flowers at the Freedom Monument, visit Riga's architectural landmarks, the First Christ Lutheran Church, the Occupation Museum, and officially open the sawmill owned by British entrepreneurs, "BSW Latvia". LETA, Diena, Lauku Avize, Vechernyaya Riga

Basing on the information provided by the newspaper

Basing on the information provided by the newspaper Neatkariga about a possibility to buy Latvian citizenship for 20 000 USD State Police decided to ask their French colleagues to check this information. Neatkariga

In the editorial

In the editorial Neatkariga writes that there exist half-legal methods how to get a passport in a short time. One of them is a fictitious marriage, other is corruption. Neatkariga has already described cases when without much trouble ones own people, who had arrived to Latvia after August 1991, were included in the Residents Register and soon received Latvian citizenship spitting on all the naturalisation regulations. And they did not need to go to Paris or pay 20 000USD. Therefore artificial seems the surprise of Latvian officials that something like that is possible.

Yesterday Riga Centre Court rejected a complaint of the organisation Russian National Unity, which is not registered in Latvia yet, on the Enterprise register for not registering their organisation.

Yesterday Riga Centre Court rejected a complaint of the organisation Russian National Unity, which is not registered in Latvia yet, on the Enterprise register for not registering their organisation. Neatkariga, Telegraf

I.Krumina in

I.Krumina in Lauku Avize writes about the governments decision to forbid inspectors of the State Language Centre the right to check state language proficiency level. A special working group was established and led by MFA Juridical department head K.Malinovska. The journalist interviewed working group member P.Elferts about the work of the group. Mr.Elferts said that the group started to prepare amendments after the UN Human Rights Commission had considered the complaint of A.Ignatane for crossing her off the candidate list for the Saeima election after a state language inspector had found out that this candidate had problems speaking in the Latvian language. The UN Commission in its decree stated that the results of the repeated inspection were subjective and such a possibility of a repeated testing contradicted the International Pact of Civic and Political Rights. The working group found out that the valid regulations were not precise and allowed interpretation. Thus the group wrote proposals to the government and it in its turn obediently raised their hands.

Russian speaking newspaper

Russian speaking newspaper Chas writes that now Latvian politicians try to make a political capital on A.Ignatane's case for the next Saeima election. Even in the press release of the Presidents office they inform that the President during her discussion with the HoM of the OSCE Mission to Latvia characterised these amendments as a good will of the government. L.Raihman from the Latvian Human Rights Committee claims that it is a merit of the leader of the Union Equality T.Zhdanok. Ms. Zhdanok herself stated that these amendments had nothing in common with elections or their procedure. In the election law there exists is a separate norm demand for a deputy candidate to have the third level of the state language proficiency. In the article of the law basing on which you may cross out the candidate from the list among other demands still exist the one for the third state language proficiency level.

When

When Chas journalist interviewed the Director of the State Language Centre Dz.Hirsa, she said that she had not known about such amendments and assured that nothing would change in the Centres activities. Even if the Centre receives these amendments, signed by the Prime Minister A.Berzins, a question rises – how to implement them. And Ms. Hirsa will ask her lawyers to comment this document. The Centre has to obey the law, and it stands higher than the Cabinet of Ministers. Also Vesti Segodnya

Panorama Latvii

states that now the State Language Centre has become enemy No 1 of the Russian-speaking population. Because after such an inspection a person may loose his job. On the other hand people may not get a job without the knowledge of the language. Therefore they try to get fake language certificates. states that now the State Language Centre has become enemy No 1 of the Russian-speaking population. Because after such an inspection a person may loose his job. On the other hand people may not get a job without the knowledge of the language. Therefore they try to get fake language certificates.

Vesti Segodnya

asked Latvian politicians to comment the decision of the government on the State Language Centre inspectors. Prime Minister A.Berzins was satisfied that the government managed to adopt these amendments, thus it fulfilled the decision of the UN Human Rights Commission. S.Zaletayev from For Human Rights in United Latvia said that it was a step to the right direction. But the question is - why only now? If it was taken to fulfil the Commissions decision – OK. But on these days is decided the fate of the OSCE Mission to Latvia – and it could be aimed to close the Mission. A.Seiksts thinks that by this the government showed that it respected and would respect international conventions and UN decisions. asked Latvian politicians to comment the decision of the government on the State Language Centre inspectors. Prime Minister A.Berzins was satisfied that the government managed to adopt these amendments, thus it fulfilled the decision of the UN Human Rights Commission. S.Zaletayev from For Human Rights in United Latvia said that it was a step to the right direction. But the question is - why only now? If it was taken to fulfil the Commission’s decision – OK. But on these days is decided the fate of the OSCE Mission to Latvia – and it could be aimed to close the Mission. A.Seiksts thinks that by this the government showed that it respected and would respect international conventions and UN decisions. MP J.Vidins from FF/LNNK thinks that the plan of his youth time friend, Russian writer and film editor V.Gonik to shoot a film on escaping of a Latvian boy from Siberia to Latvia will be “Russia’s step to repentance”. He is the prototype of this boy who alone covered 6000 km from Siberia to Latvia at the age of nine. He hopes that this film will improve Latvia’s political relations with Russia.

MP J.Vidins from FF/LNNK thinks that the plan of his youth time friend, Russian writer and film editor V.Gonik to shoot a film on escaping of a Latvian boy from Siberia to Latvia will be Russias step to repentance. He is the prototype of this boy who alone covered 6000 km from Siberia to Latvia at the age of nine. He hopes that this film will improve Latvias political relations with Russia. Neatkariga, Chas

The President’s new representative to the Society Integration Foundation Council S.Bukingots thinks that Latvia is lagging behind with integration of the society but not everything has been lost. He sees integration as respect of al members of the society - both Latvians and non-Latvians three things: state language, flag and constitution. And both parts of the society have to make a step towards each other.

The Presidents new representative to the Society Integration Foundation Council S.Bukingots thinks that Latvia is lagging behind with integration of the society but not everything has been lost. He sees integration as respect of al members of the society - both Latvians and non-Latvians three things: state language, flag and constitution. And both parts of the society have to make a step towards each other. Vesti Segodnya