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.

LATVIAN MEDIA REVIEW

LATVIAN MEDIA REVIEW

 Amendments to Latvia's Election Law by dropping from it the requirement for election candidates to have top state language proficiency is not a precondition for Latvia's membership in NATO but a step which is important for the country itself, a United States official said. United States assistant secretary of state for Northern European countries, Heather A.Conley, expressed the opinion in an interview with Latvia's leading daily

Amendments to Latvia's Election Law by dropping from it the requirement for election candidates to have top state language proficiency is not a precondition for Latvia's membership in NATO but a step which is important for the country itself, a United States official said. United States assistant secretary of state for Northern European countries, Heather A.Conley, expressed the opinion in an interview with Latvia's leading daily Diena, published on Saturday. It is crucial for Latvia's future development regardless of membership in NATO or the European Union," said Conley. She said Latvia had done a lot of work in society integration -- adopted the Citizenship Law, set up Integration Foundation, reduced naturalization fees, implemented broad society information campaign about citizenship but nevertheless "work has never be completed in this sphere". She added that it would be a "very serious step towards reaching Latvia's political maturity therefore we hope it would be done as soon as it is politically possible". She said it would be important for Latvia to adopt the election law amendments before the parliament elections due this October "because we would not want to see citizens be divided in two classes -- those who can run for elections and those who can not. We simply hope it will be done sooner".

A woman has been detained in attempt to bribe members of the Naturalization Board Examination Commission to provide her have some assistance when taking naturalization examination.

A woman has been detained in attempt to bribe members of the Naturalization Board Examination Commission to provide her have some assistance when taking naturalization examination. Diena, Neatkariga

Neatkariga

informs its audience with the main points of the speeches held at the conference The OSCE and Latvia: Past, Present and Future. informs its audience with the main points of the speeches held at the conference “The OSCE and Latvia: Past, Present and Future.”

Lauku Avize

publishes the accurate transcript of OSCE ODIHR Stoudmanns statement about considering granting Russian the status of the state language, as well as the responses of OSCE HCNM Rolf Ekeus American Ambassador Brian Carlson to the statement. The newspaper also publishes the after reaction of Stoudmann trying to explain that it was his personal stance and not official OSCEs view. publishes the accurate transcript of OSCE ODIHR Stoudmann’s statement about considering granting Russian the status of the state language, as well as the responses of OSCE HCNM Rolf Ekeus American Ambassador Brian Carlson to the statement. The newspaper also publishes the after reaction of Stoudmann trying to explain that it was his personal stance and not official OSCE’s view.

Lauku Avize

publishes considerations of a State Language inspector who believes that regulations on the implementation of the state language are not strict enough and have too many gaps. publishes considerations of a State Language inspector who believes that regulations on the implementation of the state language are not strict enough and have too many gaps. Latvian, Lithuanian, Estonian and Polish presidents in a meeting in Vilnius focused on the Baltic states integration in NATO as well as common interests of the four countries while preparing for the European Union membership. The presidents believe the EU members and candidate countries should find a common dialogue on agriculture policy.

Latvian, Lithuanian, Estonian and Polish presidents in a meeting in Vilnius focused on the Baltic states integration in NATO as well as common interests of the four countries while preparing for the European Union membership. The presidents believe the EU members and candidate countries should find a common dialogue on agriculture policy. Diena, Neatkariga, Vesti Segodnja, Chas, Panorama Latvii

An OSCE official, who caused great commotion in Latvia after dropping a careless remark on the language issue in the Baltic state, has issued a statement saying that his words should not be taken as the official position by OSCE. The Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), Gerard Stoudmann, said he had issued the statement "in order to correct misinterpretations of his remarks concerning the state language of Latvia," reported the Latvian Foreign Ministry. Stoudmann, who Wednesday attended a conference in Riga, said Latvia should consider granting Russian the status of an official language in Latvia. Seeing the uproar his remarks had created, the OSCE official felt he had to respond to this. "The remarks I made yesterday should not be interpreted as a recommendation or an official position of the OSCE, or me questioning the status of Latvian as the only state language. Rather they should be seen as my personal reflection on the issue," said Stoudmann. "I wish to stress that my intention never was to suggest that Russian be made the second state language in Latvia, or that this issue was on the agenda," he claimed in the statement. "I am fully aware of the sensitivities surrounding the issue in Latvia. They are understandable in view of the country's history, and for the same reason I also understand, as I stated yesterday, the wish to strengthen the Latvian language as the state language and promote its use by the whole population of Latvia," said the OSCE official.

An OSCE official, who caused great commotion in Latvia after dropping a careless remark on the language issue in the Baltic state, has issued a statement saying that his words should not be taken as the official position by OSCE. The Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), Gerard Stoudmann, said he had issued the statement "in order to correct misinterpretations of his remarks concerning the state language of Latvia," reported the Latvian Foreign Ministry. Stoudmann, who Wednesday attended a conference in Riga, said Latvia should consider granting Russian the status of an official language in Latvia. Seeing the uproar his remarks had created, the OSCE official felt he had to respond to this. "The remarks I made yesterday should not be interpreted as a recommendation or an official position of the OSCE, or me questioning the status of Latvian as the only state language. Rather they should be seen as my personal reflection on the issue," said Stoudmann. "I wish to stress that my intention never was to suggest that Russian be made the second state language in Latvia, or that this issue was on the agenda," he claimed in the statement. "I am fully aware of the sensitivities surrounding the issue in Latvia. They are understandable in view of the country's history, and for the same reason I also understand, as I stated yesterday, the wish to strengthen the Latvian language as the state language and promote its use by the whole population of Latvia," said the OSCE official. Chas, Rigas Balss

Vesti Segodnja comments on the situation stating that Latvia intentionally reacted to Stoudmann’s statements in such hysterical manner in order to draw away public and international community attention from the main problems concerning national minorities as “the attack is the best defense.”

Vesti Segodnja comments on the situation stating that Latvia intentionally reacted to Stoudmanns statements in such hysterical manner in order to draw away public and international community attention from the main problems concerning national minorities as the attack is the best defense.