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.

Integration and Minority Information Service

Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• Conference Education in Social Integration held in Ventspils
• Seminar Education for Integration organised by the Soros Foundation in Riga
• Advisor to the Governmental Committee Tatyana Poloskova
• People resistant to donate money for holding Latvian language courses free of charge

Neatkariga

reports about reports about a conference “Education in Social Integration” held in Ventspilsa conference Education in Social Integration held in Ventspils. Special Task Minister for the Societal Integration Nils Muiznieks, General Consul of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Semyonov, Counsellor of the Canadian embassy Dominique Rossetti, Venstpils Mayor Aivars Lembergs and a number of education experts participated in the conference. The conference adopted a note to the Saeima, the Cabinet of Ministers, the Integration Foundation and the Ministry of Education stating that the level of the societal integration influences education and its quality and vice verse.. Special Task Minister for the Societal Integration Nils Muiznieks, General Consul of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Semyonov, Counsellor of the Canadian embassy Dominique Rossetti, Venstpils Mayor Aivars Lembergs and a number of education experts participated in the conference. The conference adopted a note to the Saeima, the Cabinet of Ministers, the Integration Foundation and the Ministry of Education stating that “the level of the societal integration influences education and its quality and vice verse.”

Chas

reports that Ventspils Mayor Aivars Lembergs sharply criticised the current integration policy of the government and stated that the government builds integration through administrative methods and not on free will of persons. Lembergs is against the switch of minority secondary schools to instruction in Latvian in 2004 as it could cause instability in the country. reports that Ventspils Mayor Aivars Lembergs sharply criticised the current integration policy of the government and stated that the government builds integration through administrative methods and not on free will of persons. Lembergs is against the switch of minority secondary schools to instruction in Latvian in 2004 as it could cause instability in the country. Panorama Latvii Panorama Latvii Yesterday representatives of 20 Russian and 17 Latvian schools, 14 pre-schools and 7 universities, as well as experts and officials discussed the future of national minority education in Latvia in a

Yesterday representatives of 20 Russian and 17 Latvian schools, 14 pre-schools and 7 universities, as well as experts and officials discussed the future of national minority education in Latvia in a seminar Education for Integration during which the results of the international working group about the situation concerning bilingual education in Latvia were presented. The seminar was organised by the Soros Foundation in Riga. The international working group concluded that the term bilingual education in Latvia is not very clearly defined. Only the third module (out of 4) of bilingual education developed by the government and the module developed by Association of the Support for the Russian Language Schools in Latvia were admitted as bilingual curricula. Notwithstanding, official of the Education Ministry Guntis Vasilevskis believes that the education reform of 2004 is going on very well and invitations to the EU and NATO are a prove of that. However, director of the project Open School, which is implemented by the Soros Foundation in Latvia, Liesma Ose criticised the work of the Ministry. She believes that after 2004 minority secondary schools should be bilingual. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Panorama Latvii

Advisor to the Governmental Committee of the Support for Russian Compatriots at the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry

Advisor to the Governmental Committee of the Support for Russian Compatriots at the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry Tatyana Poloskova believes that Russians residing in Latvia need economic lobby. She states that Russian community in Latvia is diverse and split and therefore it will not be able to serve as a bridge between Latvia and Russia and that Russia should gradually cease politicisation of its compatriots. Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Telegraf

The anti-NATO NGO Prata Speks reports that during 2 weeks

The anti-NATO NGO Prata Speks reports that during 2 weeks only 25 persons have called the special phone number which costs one lat and was installed to collect money for the support for Latvian language classes provided to non-Latvians free of charge. Vesti Segodnya