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.

• Protest activities against education reform
• The session of the Human Rights Committee of the United Nations
• Latvian delegation participates in the annual meeting of NATO Senior Council
• Media clarify statements of Gunter Verheugen
• The Mayor of Cesis meets with a Russian language school
• Igor Pimenov discusses an opportunity to open a class with the insufficient number of students
• The conference of the Riga Department of the Peoples Harmony Party
• Boris Tsilevitch: the current Latvian government will not ratify the Framework Convention

Yesterday a procession and protest meetings against education reform, organized by the Headquarters for the defense of Russian schools and the FHRUL, took place nearby the Ministry’s on Education and Science building, the Saeima building and the President’s palace. According to different newspapers, 300-800 people, predominantly Russian school students, participated in the procession. Nearby the President’s palace, the participants have burned a scarecrow with an inscription “Reform 2004”. The dress of the scarecrow resembled the Ku-Klux-Klan uniform. Participants of the procession have also called for resignation of the minister of Education and Science.

Yesterday a procession and protest meetings against education reform, organized by the Headquarters for the defense of Russian schools and the FHRUL, took place nearby the Ministrys on Education and Science building, the Saeima building and the Presidents palace. According to different newspapers, 300-800 people, predominantly Russian school students, participated in the procession. Nearby the Presidents palace, the participants have burned a scarecrow with an inscription Reform 2004. The dress of the scarecrow resembled the Ku-Klux-Klan uniform. Participants of the procession have also called for resignation of the minister of Education and Science. Diena, Lauku Avîze, Telegraf, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Vechernaya Riga

Media report on the session of the Human Rights Committee of the United Nations examining the implementation of the International Pact on Civic and Political Rights in Latvia. Eighteen UN experts will analyse Latvia’s official report by 7 November.

Media report on the session of the Human Rights Committee of the United Nations examining the implementation of the International Pact on Civic and Political Rights in Latvia. Eighteen UN experts will analyse Latvias official report by 7 November. Lauku Avize questions participation of the Latvian Human Rights Committee as an alternative delegation at the session. Chas, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya, Lauku Avize

Latvian delegation participated in the annual meeting of NATO Senior Council, which started on 28 October. NATO Senior Council has positively evaluated the progress made by Latvia toward accession to NATO. NATO ambassadors have also asked the Latvian representatives to comment on the recent statements of Russia, including statements of Sergey Ivanov, the minister of Defence of Russia. Sergey Ivanov has previously mentioned possible Russia’s military intervention in order to protect the rights of Russia’s citizens and ethnic Russians in the former USSR’s republics. The state secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia Maris Riekstins said to

Latvian delegation participated in the annual meeting of NATO Senior Council, which started on 28 October. NATO Senior Council has positively evaluated the progress made by Latvia toward accession to NATO. NATO ambassadors have also asked the Latvian representatives to comment on the recent statements of Russia, including statements of Sergey Ivanov, the minister of Defence of Russia. Sergey Ivanov has previously mentioned possible Russias military intervention in order to protect the rights of Russias citizens and ethnic Russians in the former USSRs republics. The state secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia Maris Riekstins said to Lauku Avize that there is a need for the EU or NATO to respond to Russia unacceptable rhetorics. BNS, Lauku Avize, Vesti Segodnya

Chas and Lauku Avize have contacted Jean-Christophe Filori, the press secretary of the Commissioner for Enlargement of the European Commission Gunter Verheugen, in order to clarify the Commissioners statements. The press secretary said that Gunter Verheugen has not compared attitude towards Russian-speakers in the Baltic States with discrimination of Roma in Europe during his visit to Moscow. Vesti Segodnya denies information published in Diena that the press secretary of Gunter Verheugen has doubted intentions of the Commissioner to meet with the activists of the Latvian Human Rights Committee and the Latvian Association for the Support for Russian Schools. The possible upcoming meeting was first mentioned by Interfax, quoting Dmitry Rogozin. According to Vesti Segodnya, the press secretary was not present at the meeting of Gunter Verheugen with Dmitry Rogozin, and therefore cannot serve as a witness..

Yesterday representatives of a Russian school have submitted a letter to the mayor of Cesis where 400 persons ask the local government to preserve Russian language education at the school. According to the mayor, this issue will be discussed at the session of the Department for Education, Culture and Sports affairs of the City Council on 6 November.

Yesterday representatives of a Russian school have submitted a letter to the mayor of Cesis where 400 persons ask the local government to preserve Russian language education at the school. According to the mayor, this issue will be discussed at the session of the Department for Education, Culture and Sports affairs of the City Council on 6 November. Vesti Segodnya

Igor Pimenov, the Chairman of the Board of Latvian Association for the Support for Russian Schools analyses Latvian legislation stipulating conditions for opening a class with the insufficient number of students as an exception, and applies it to the case of the Russian school in Cesis.

Igor Pimenov, the Chairman of the Board of Latvian Association for the Support for Russian Schools analyses Latvian legislation stipulating conditions for opening a class with the insufficient number of students as an exception, and applies it to the case of the Russian school in Cesis. Vesti Segodnya

A conference of the Riga Depertment of the People’ Harmony Party takes place today. The new party program defining the PHP as a social democratic party will be discussed at the conference.

A conference of the Riga Depertment of the People Harmony Party takes place today. The new party program defining the PHP as a social democratic party will be discussed at the conference. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Chas features an article of Boris Tsilevitch about the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. Tsilevitch believes that the current Latvian government will not ratify the Framework Convention, because the politicians have no experience in making a dialog with international organizations and they do not put minority problems among the priorities.