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

• Russia has invited the Presidency of the Council of the EU to pay more attention to human rights situation in Estonia and Latvia
• Vesty Segodnya about the Saeimas refusal to nominate candidates from the Latvian Socialist Party to the Saeima National Security Committee
• Dainis Ivans: the Latvian Social Democratic Party is going to attract minority electorate
• Interview with Dans Titavs, advisor to the Latvian Prime Minister
• The Presidents State Language Commission is planning three seminars
• Ethnic dimension of the income level: sociological survey
• Interview with a historian and LU professor Inesis Feldmanis
• Conference Post-communist transformation and democratization process in Latvia. 1987-2003
• Forum Foreign Diaspora – the Intellectual Resource of Russia

At the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe meeting held on 8 October, Russia has invited the Presidency of the Council of the EU to pay more attention to human rights situation in Estonia and Latvia. The Russian ambassador to the Committee has particularly stressed the decision about deportation of Vikulov’s family from Latvia last September. This decision was made according to the treaty on the withdrawal of Russian troops between Latvia and Russia. According to the Russian ambassador, Latvia should not have made this decision before the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), where Vikulovs have submitted a complaint.

At the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe meeting held on 8 October, Russia has invited the Presidency of the Council of the EU to pay more attention to human rights situation in Estonia and Latvia. The Russian ambassador to the Committee has particularly stressed the decision about deportation of Vikulovs family from Latvia last September. This decision was made according to the treaty on the withdrawal of Russian troops between Latvia and Russia. According to the Russian ambassador, Latvia should not have made this decision before the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), where Vikulovs have submitted a complaint. Diena believes that the true purpose of Russias statements is to divert EU attention from the violations of human rights in Cechenya, which had been previously critisized by the Presidency of the Council of the EU. Diena

Vesti Segodnya reports about the Saeimas refusal to nominate Martjan Bekasov from the Latvian Socialist Party as a member of the Saeima National Security Committee. The candidacy of Igor Solovjev from this party had been refused before. According to the newspaper, Saeimas refusal to approve candidates from the opposition parties does not comply with the National Security Law. The law stipulates that MPs from each party should be recruited by the Committee. The leader of the LSP Saeima faction Aleksandr Golubov has stated that the party is considering submitting a complaint to the Constitutional Court.

Lauku Avize reports on the congress of the Latvia Social Democratic Party held last Saturday. The chairman of the party Dainis Ivans said that the LSDP is going to attract minority electorate and stressed the necessity for the governments dialog with the minorities. The LSDP has started closer cooperation with the People`s Harmony Party, even considering a possibility to form common election lists in the future.

Lauku Avize refers to an interview with Dans Titavs, an advisor to the Latvian Prime Minister, published in Telegraf. Dans Titavs says that ‘integration gates are wide open and invites non-citizens to naturalize.

The President’s State Language Commission is planning to organise seminars on the Latvian language terminology, on language and identity issues in the context of Latvia’s membership in the EU, and on the language issues in science.

The Presidents State Language Commission is planning to organise seminars on the Latvian language terminology, on language and identity issues in the context of Latvias membership in the EU, and on the language issues in science. Chas

According to a survey conducted by the social research centre SKDS, 29,5% of ethnic Latvians and 23,1% of representatives of other nationalities have operated with 500 lats bills. 7% of ethnic Latvians and 12,1% of non-Latvians have dealt with 20 lats bills. Russian language newspapers conclude that minorities have lower level of income as compared with ethnic Latvians.

According to a survey conducted by the social research centre SKDS, 29,5% of ethnic Latvians and 23,1% of representatives of other nationalities have operated with 500 lats bills. 7% of ethnic Latvians and 12,1% of non-Latvians have dealt with 20 lats bills. Russian language newspapers conclude that minorities have lower level of income as compared with ethnic Latvians. Vesti Segodnya, Vechernaya Riga

Lauku Avize prints an interview with a historian and LU professor Inesis Feldmanis discussing the judgment of ECHR in the case of Slivenko family and the foreign states attitudes towards the fact of Latvias occupation.

Vesti Segodnya reports on the conference Post-communist transformation and democratization process in Latvia. 1987-2003, reffering to the discussion between Priit Jarve from the European Centre for Minority Issues, Boris Tsilevish, MP from the People`s Harmony Party, political scientist Artis Pabriks and political scientist Tatyana Bogushevitch.

Chas reports about the forum Foreign Diaspora – the Intellectual Resource of Russia which took place in Moscow. The forums participants stressed the need to strengthen non-political and non-ideological cooperation between Russia and the Russian diaspora, primarily in the area of social life, economics, culture and information.