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

In his interview to the Russian-speaking newspaper

In his interview to the Russian-speaking newspaper Telegraf Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs I.Berzins, when asked about the future of the OSCE Mission to Latvia, said, I think the OSCE Mission will be closed this year. We have fulfilled all our obligations that were under discussion. And it is not right to change the rules during the game. (19.11.01)

On Tuesday Latvian Foreign Ministry state secretary Maris Riekstins will join the meeting of European foreign and defence ministers in Brussels expected to discuss the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) reported the Foreign Ministry.

On Tuesday Latvian Foreign Ministry state secretary Maris Riekstins will join the meeting of European foreign and defence ministers in Brussels expected to discuss the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) reported the Foreign Ministry. BNS

Latvian foreign and defence ministries positively view the efforts of NATO and Russia to find more pragmatic and practical ways for mutual co-operation, officials at the two ministries said. Foreign Ministry state secretary Maris Riekstins and Defence Ministry state secretary Edgars Rinkevics were commenting to BNS on proposal of British Prime Minister Tony Blair to set up Russian and North-Atlantic council for developing of closer co-operation. Regardless of the negative attitude by Russia towards admission of the Baltic states to NATO Riekstins ruled out a possibility that, as a result of closer co-operation, NATO and Russia could jointly make decision on admission of new members to NATO. "Such an option is impossible," he said.

Latvian foreign and defence ministries positively view the efforts of NATO and Russia to find more pragmatic and practical ways for mutual co-operation, officials at the two ministries said. Foreign Ministry state secretary Maris Riekstins and Defence Ministry state secretary Edgars Rinkevics were commenting to BNS on proposal of British Prime Minister Tony Blair to set up Russian and North-Atlantic council for developing of closer co-operation. Regardless of the negative attitude by Russia towards admission of the Baltic states to NATO Riekstins ruled out a possibility that, as a result of closer co-operation, NATO and Russia could jointly make decision on admission of new members to NATO. "Such an option is impossible," he said. BNS

Today, three foreign ambassadors will present their credentials to President Vaira Vike-Freiberga, LETA learned at the President's Press Service. The president will receive credentials from the Thai Ambassador to Latvia Thakur Phanit, Irish Ambassador to Latvia Thelma M. Doran and Tunisian Ambassador to Latvia. LETA

Today, three foreign ambassadors will present their credentials to President Vaira Vike-Freiberga, LETA learned at the President's Press Service. The president will receive credentials from the Thai Ambassador to Latvia Thakur Phanit, Irish Ambassador to Latvia Thelma M. Doran and Tunisian Ambassador to Latvia. LETA

Andris Zorgevics, director general at the state-owned railroad company Latvijas Dzelzcels, quit the Latvian Social Democratic Workers Party (LSDSP) on Monday, calling it "simply the party of [LSDSP chairman Juris] Bojars, a Bolshevik organisation, not a parliamentary party" in an interview to DB. VZ says that the new party will unite the current LSDSP members who believe Bojars’ authoritarian leadership unacceptable, and disapprove of LSDSP’s close relations with the socialists. Egils Baldzens is being mentioned as the likely leader of the new party.

Andris Zorgevics, director general at the state-owned railroad company Latvijas Dzelzcels, quit the Latvian Social Democratic Workers Party (LSDSP) on Monday, calling it "simply the party of [LSDSP chairman Juris] Bojars, a Bolshevik organisation, not a parliamentary party" in an interview to DB. VZ says that the new party will unite the current LSDSP members who believe Bojars authoritarian leadership unacceptable, and disapprove of LSDSPs close relations with the socialists. Egils Baldzens is being mentioned as the likely leader of the new party. Diena, Neatkariga, Telegraf, Panorama Latvii

Diena

interviews Markus Meckel, Vice-President at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, member of Bundestags Foreign Affairs Committee, who says that "the development of the Baltic countries and societies makes it clear that these countries are ready for accession, and we have to do it as soon as possible" interviews Markus Meckel, Vice-President at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, member of Bundestag’s Foreign Affairs Committee, who says that "the development of the Baltic countries and societies makes it clear that these countries are ready for accession, and we have to do it as soon as possible" The Citizenship and Migration Administration is unable to curb activities of persons who receive questionable visas and Latvia’s residency permits with the help of middleman firms and banks. The administration itself, as well as the Ministry of Interior and the Immigration Police is not interested in putting an end to such a situation, says a representative of the administration.

The Citizenship and Migration Administration is unable to curb activities of persons who receive questionable visas and Latvias residency permits with the help of middleman firms and banks. The administration itself, as well as the Ministry of Interior and the Immigration Police is not interested in putting an end to such a situation, says a representative of the administration. Neatkariga

Yesterday the Naturalisation Board in co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Latvia, UNDP and Society integration Department of the Ministry of Justice started a wide information project “Public awareness campaign” in order to motivate non-citizens to apply for Latvian citizenship and further public understanding on citizenship and naturalisation issues in general.

Yesterday the Naturalisation Board in co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Latvia, UNDP and Society integration Department of the Ministry of Justice started a wide information project Public awareness campaign in order to motivate non-citizens to apply for Latvian citizenship and further public understanding on citizenship and naturalisation issues in general. Latvijas Vestnesis, Diena,

Lauku Avize

published an open letter of the former FF/LNNK activist Eduards Berklavs under the tittle Shameful campaign. A new well thought over campaign to deprive Latvians of saying in their Fatherland – only thus I can evaluate this made up three months advertisement campaign to lure non-Latvians into Latvian citizenship thus endangering the existence of Latvia as an independent state. It is unlikely that Eizenija Aldermane alone managed to get 260 000USD from institutions in Germany, USA, Great Britain, Sweden, Canada and Norway to finance this shameful campaign. I remind E.Aldermane and everybody, who works against Latvia, the lines from a poem written by an unknown soldier in the Gulag concentration camp, Nobody will forgive us, either the deceased or alive ones .. that we ourselves help to cut our roots. published an open letter of the former FF/LNNK activist Eduards Berklavs under the tittle “Shameful campaign”. “A new well thought over campaign to deprive Latvians of saying in their Fatherland – only thus I can evaluate this made up three months advertisement campaign to lure non-Latvians into Latvian citizenship thus endangering the existence of Latvia as an independent state. It is unlikely that Eizenija Aldermane alone managed to get 260 000USD from institutions in Germany, USA, Great Britain, Sweden, Canada and Norway to finance this shameful campaign. I remind E.Aldermane and everybody, who works against Latvia, the lines from a poem written by an unknown soldier in the Gulag concentration camp, “Nobody will forgive us, either the deceased or alive ones .. that we ourselves help to cut our roots.” Publicist V.Avotins writes that the Cabinet of Ministers proved (by amending Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No 239) that the official language policy (as the government sees it) limits itself only to the campaign of receiving language proficiency certificates. By this the Cabinet turned knowing the language into a formal thing in the field where it had to be mastered without any excuse, without any political or ethnic speculation. The government is not interested in the quality of real language usage. If anything – just show the certificate, and nobody will bother you. And the role of the State Language Centre is also degraded; now it is to be seen as a police department because SLC will deal more with the cases of forged documents than with the language itself.

Publicist V.Avotins writes that the Cabinet of Ministers proved (by amending Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No 239) that the official language policy (as the government sees it) limits itself only to the campaign of receiving language proficiency certificates. By this the Cabinet turned knowing the language into a formal thing in the field where it had to be mastered without any excuse, without any political or ethnic speculation. The government is not interested in the quality of real language usage. If anything – just show the certificate, and nobody will bother you. And the role of the State Language Centre is also degraded; now it is to be seen as a police department because SLC will deal more with the cases of forged documents than with the language itself. Neatkariga

Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga in her greeting speech to the participants of the international conference “Forming a civic culture in Central and Eastern Europe” said that Latvia did not have the centuries long integration experience which many European nations had. Latvia is just forming in strengthening its democratic system and we may be proud with the things achieved and honest when speaking about the things still to be done. And this road has to be followed by the whole society – politicians, scientists, teachers, public organisations and others.

Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga in her greeting speech to the participants of the international conference Forming a civic culture in Central and Eastern Europe said that Latvia did not have the centuries long integration experience which many European nations had. Latvia is just forming in strengthening its democratic system and we may be proud with the things achieved and honest when speaking about the things still to be done. And this road has to be followed by the whole society – politicians, scientists, teachers, public organisations and others. Latvijas Vestnesis

Editors of the newspaper

Editors of the newspaper Panorama Latvii received a letter from Latvian national radicals with a swastika and information that within the framework of de-colonisation all journalist of this newspaper had to leave Latvia.

In an interview given to Russian newspaper

In an interview given to Russian newspaper Izvestiya I.Berzins stated that Latvia was not a self-murderer when joining NATO, and it was not a step against Russia. He even assured that according to opinion polls Russians in Latvia supported Latvias joining EU more that Latvians did. And when speaking about youngsters, then for joining NATO stand more Russians than Latvians. Panorama Latvii, Vesti Segodnya

Panorama Latvii

in its editorial analyses the statements made by Latvian politicians concerning the worming-up of American – Russian relations. It seems that politicians are satisfied with it. Thus Latvian Ambassador to Moscow N.Penke greeted the positive moves in Russias relations with NATO. He thinks that integration of Latvia into Europe would improve Latvias relations with Russia. But the words of Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs I.Berzins even sound surprising, Improving of the relations between Russia and NATO is profitable for us. We do not want to join NATO just for starting a new cold war. The Minister also assures that the cold war started by Russia in 1998 led to the fact that Russia lost its former economic influence in Latvia. in its editorial analyses the statements made by Latvian politicians concerning the worming-up of American – Russian relations. It seems that politicians are satisfied with it. Thus Latvian Ambassador to Moscow N.Penke greeted the positive moves in Russia’s relations with NATO. He thinks that integration of Latvia into Europe would improve Latvia’s relations with Russia. But the words of Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs I.Berzins even sound surprising, “Improving of the relations between Russia and NATO is profitable for us. We do not want to join NATO just for starting a new “cold war”. The Minister also assures that the “cold war” started by Russia in 1998 led to the fact that Russia lost its former economic influence in Latvia. The Union of Searchers’ Units addressed the Latvian society with a call to collect money for restoration the Victory Monument.

The Union of Searchers Units addressed the Latvian society with a call to collect money for restoration the Victory Monument. Vesti Segodnya

A.Vasiljeva writes that the union of the left wing parties For Human Rights in United Latvia has passed the test of time now it will have to pass the test of power. Being in the opposition consolidated these different parties, and after the last local government election left wing parties came to power in many Latvian towns and in Riga. Now a very important task for them is to be very flexible in choosing their coalition partners and careful in their tactics and strategy. One of the fist tests was the question whether to support the nomination of T.Zhdanok to the post of Managing Director of Vidzeme Suburb District of Riga; another is whether to develop co-operation with Social Democrats.

A.Vasiljeva writes that the union of the left wing parties For Human Rights in United Latvia has passed the test of time now it will have to pass the test of power. Being in the opposition consolidated these different parties, and after the last local government election left wing parties came to power in many Latvian towns and in Riga. Now a very important task for them is to be very flexible in choosing their coalition partners and careful in their tactics and strategy. One of the fist tests was the question whether to support the nomination of T.Zhdanok to the post of Managing Director of Vidzeme Suburb District of Riga; another is whether to develop co-operation with Social Democrats. Chas