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

• Capacity of NGOs to administer EU funding allotted for ethnic integration
• Association for the Support for Russian Schools held a press conference yesterday – the Headquarter calls on people to attend rallies outside embassy buildings
• Delegation of the Moscow municipality visits Riga
• Russia reproaches Latvia for the situation of Russian-speakers in the country

Diena

features an article about the capacity of Latvias NGOs to implement ethnic integration projects, which are funded by the Integration Foundation and the EU. NGOs, which projects won last year, admit that although all of them have experience with international projects, acquisition of EU funding and its administration requires considerable effort. The Integration Foundation expresses its concern whether this year there will be a sufficient number of good and well-elaborated projects as EU funding this year is much bigger than last year. None of the NGOs which received funding last year was a minority NGO. The Director of the Integration Foundation Nils Sakss stresses that if minority NGOs can find a partner – a municipality or bigger NGO – their lack of experience with big projects is not an obstacle to receive funding.

Yesterday the Association for the Support for Russian Schools in Latvia held a press conference. It stated If the Education Minister Karlis Sadurskis does not have intentions to build a dialogue, we have a hope that we will be able to build a dialogue with European institutions. Today the Association will organise protest activities outside the buildings of foreign embassies and international institutions. Chas

Vesti Segodnya

reports about the meeting of the Head of the Delegation of the European Commission Andrew Rasbash with the representatives of the Headquarter of opponents against the education reform. The Head of the Delegation did not promise any quick solution to the issue and noted that education issues are very sensitive in many European countries as well.

Vesti Segodnya

prints an advertisment Yes to Schools – Yes to Europe, No to Schools – No to Europe which calls on people to come to the embassies of foreign countries (Italy, France and Germany) today and protest against the education reform.

Yesterday the two-day working visit of the Moscow municipality delegation was launched in Riga. Chas

Yesterday at the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE the Chairperson of the Russian State Duma Genady Seleznov stated that Russia is particularly concerned with the situation in Latvia where the government is planning to implement the education reform which stipulates that studies at secondary Russian schools will be held in Latvian. He believes that national parliaments of European countries should take actions towards Latvia and Estonia to protect the rights of Russian-speakers in these countries. Chas, Vesti Segodnya