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.

• Post-referendum applications for naturalisation have significantly increased
• Naturalization Boards draft amendments to the Citizenship Law discussed by parliamentarians

In October the Naturalization Board received 1371 applications for naturalization, almost doubling the amount of applications for the same period last year. According to the deputy head of the Naturalization Board Janis Kahanovics, the referendum on Latvia’s accession to the EU has promoted motivation of non-citizens to apply for citizenship, since their expectations of the referendum’s negative result have not been realized. Many of the naturalization applicants are middle-aged people with good Latvian language proficiency who could have applied for citizenship before.

In October the Naturalization Board received 1371 applications for naturalization, almost doubling the amount of applications for the same period last year. According to the deputy head of the Naturalization Board Janis Kahanovics, the referendum on Latvias accession to the EU has promoted motivation of non-citizens to apply for citizenship, since their expectations of the referendums negative result have not been realized. Many of the naturalization applicants are middle-aged people with good Latvian language proficiency who could have applied for citizenship before. Diena, Chas

Lauku Avize discusses the amendments to the Citizenship Law initiated by the Naturalization Board. The amendments stipulate opportunities to register Latvian citizenship for persons who have graduated from a basic or secondary school with Latvian language of instruction even if they have not completed the entire education in Latvian, as is foreseen in the present regulations. The chairperson of the Saeima Human Rights Committee Ina Druviete warns of possible misguided implementation of the Citizenship Law if the amendments will be adopted and calls for careful examination of the amendments. The chairperson of the Saeima Committee for Citizenship Laws Implementation Anta Rugate believes that there is no need to extend the opportunities of granting Latvian citizenship through registration.