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

• Dmitry Rogozin, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Russias State Council: Russia maintains on the monitoring observation of minority rights in Latvia
• Media on the visit of Russian school students from Latvia to the institutions of the European Parliament
• Maris Antonevics, columnist of Lauku Avize, commentsthe expressions of Eleonora Mitrophanova, the first deputy minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia and other Russian officials
• Leonid Fedoseyev, Chas columnist, criticizes the proposal of the Minister of Education and Science about organizing a referendum on education reform
• Draft law on education reform in Estonia

Chas reports aboutthe expressions of Dmitry Rogozin, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Russias State Council about intent of the Russian delegation at Parliamentarian Assembly of European Parliament to achieve the resumption of monitoring observation of minority rights in Latvia. Newspapers feature articles about the visit of Russian school students from Latvia to the institutions of the European Parliament. Students and their companions from the Headquarters for the defense of Russian schools visited the European Parliament and the European Court of Human Rights and met the Peter Sheder, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the European Parliament, and the diplomats from Russia, Switzerland and Denmark. Lauku Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Maris Antonevics, the columnist of

Maris Antonevics, the columnist of Lauku Avize comments the expressions of Eleonora Mitrophanova, the first deputy minister of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Russia about the status of the Russian language in post-soviet states and also the recent statements of other officials from Russia. The columnist believes that Russia attempts to maintain its influence in this area and considers appealing to international institution as the most effective means to achieve this.

Leonid Fedoseyev, the columnist of

Leonid Fedoseyev, the columnist of Chas criticizes the proposal of Karlis Shadurskis, the Minister of Education and Science, to organize referendum on the issue of education reform. According to the columnist, it would be a needless spending money and would cause ethnic tensions. Chas

The Fatherland’s Union Party, the opposition party in Estonia has submitted to the Estonian Parliament a draft law stipulating that 60% of education programmes in minority secondary schools should be taught in Estonian starting from 2007. The party believes that it is important to adopt the law to ensure the transition of the secondary education in Estonian since the previous ruling coalition delegated the issues related to the language of instruction to schools and municipalities.

The Fatherlands Union Party, the opposition party in Estonia has submitted to the Estonian Parliament a draft law stipulating that 60% of education programmes in minority secondary schools should be taught in Estonian starting from 2007. The party believes that it is important to adopt the law to ensure the transition of the secondary education in Estonian since the previous ruling coalition delegated the issues related to the language of instruction to schools and municipalities. Lauku Avize