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
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• Article by Visvaldis Lacis about the minority issues
• Plans to merge several branches of the Naturalisation Board
• Article by political scientist Ivars Indans about the song contest New Wave and the integration
• Audit results for the programme Liv coast
• Chas reports about the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration visit in Moscow
• Lauku Avize prints critical comments on the statements of the Russian Ambassador

Neatkariga features an article by Visvaldis Lacis about the EU member states attitude towards the minority issues in Latvia. The author believes that Latvian government should not follow international recommendations in order not to create two-community society in Latvia.

The Head of the Naturalisation Board Eizenija Aldermane informed about the plans to merge several branches of the Naturalisation Board in order to cut the budget by 44 000 LVL. Eizenija Aldermane believes that the budget will be reduced even further because of the compensations due to the dismissed employees. The Naturalisation Board is under the supervision of the Ministry of Justice, which have to reduce the next year’s budget by 1,308 million LVL.

The Head of the Naturalisation Board Eizenija Aldermane informed about the plans to merge several branches of the Naturalisation Board in order to cut the budget by 44 000 LVL. Eizenija Aldermane believes that the budget will be reduced even further because of the compensations due to the dismissed employees. The Naturalisation Board is under the supervision of the Ministry of Justice, which have to reduce the next years budget by 1,308 million LVL. Neatkariga

Diena features an article by political scientist Ivars Indans about the image of Latvia within the context of the Eurovision song contest and the song contest New Wave organised by the Russian Television in Jurmala. The author believes that transmission of the song contest New Wave on the second channel of Latvian Television is not encouraging the integration.

Diena reports about the audit results for the programme Liv coast. According to the audit, two thirds of the budget were used for the salaries of 13 employees, but the responsibilities of these people are not clear, and this year programme activities are not implemented. The director of the programme Edgars Silis resigned as from the 1st of August. The Secretariat of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration informed that next year budget for the programme (33 000 LVL) will not be changed, but new administration methods will be considered.

Chas reports on the meeting of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration with the deputy of the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Eleonora Mitrofanova, the director of European division of the Ministry Alexandre Udalcov (former Ambassador of Russia to Latvia), and the government official dealing with the human rights issues, Oleg Mitrofanov. During these meetings, the problems of the Russian-speakers in Latvia were discussed. Chas, Vesti Segonya

Lauku Avize prints critical comments on the statements of the Russian Ambassador Igor Studennikov about the education reform and the discrimination of the Russian-speaking minority in Latvia.