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.

• The President of Latvia does not support granting rights to non-citizens to vote at municipal elections
• Parties Equality and BITE discuss their merger into the FHRUL party
• A competition of childrens drawings for promotion of tolerance and human rights
• Russian language school teachers invite colleagues to protest against education reform
• A representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia comments on the recent EU-Russia Summit in Rome
• Representative of MFA of Russia about democracy in Latvia

In the reply letter to the Union of Citizens and Non-Citizens (an NGO), the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga has stated that there is no need to grant voting rights to non-citizens at municipal elections. According to the President’s Advisor on Legal Issues Sandra Kukule, these rights are not an obligatory legal norm in the EU, and non-citizens have the right to naturalize.

In the reply letter to the Union of Citizens and Non-Citizens (an NGO), the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga has stated that there is no need to grant voting rights to non-citizens at municipal elections. According to the Presidents Advisor on Legal Issues Sandra Kukule, these rights are not an obligatory legal norm in the EU, and non-citizens have the right to naturalize. Vechernaya Riga reviews the appeals of NGOs the Union of Citizens and Non-Citizens and Civic Initiative – XXI to Latvian officials with a proposal to grant voting rights to non-citizens at municipal elections. At the press conference, the NGOs leaders promised to continue their correspondence with authorities on this issue. Vesti Segodnya, Vechernaya Riga

The party “Equality” (composed of around 400 members) and BITE (more than 60 members) are planning to discuss their merger into the unified party FHRUL in a conference. 

The party Equality (composed of around 400 members) and BITE (more than 60 members) are planning to discuss their merger into the unified party FHRUL in a conference. Lauku Avize, Telegraf, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

The Special Task Minister’s for Social Integration Affairs Secretariat is planning a competition of children’s drawings to promote tolerance and human rights protection. The title of the competition is “Let’s be friends! We are different in Latvia!.”

The Special Task Ministers for Social Integration Affairs Secretariat is planning a competition of childrens drawings to promote tolerance and human rights protection. The title of the competition is Lets be friends! We are different in Latvia!. Lauku Avize

Russian language schoolteachers have initiated the idea of teachers’ uniting in the protest activities against 2004-education reform.

Russian language schoolteachers have initiated the idea of teachers uniting in the protest activities against 2004-education reform. Vechernaya Riga

Chas reports on statements of the official representative of the MFA of Russia Aleksandr Yakovenko to Russian media where he commented the recent EU-Russia Summit in Rome. According to the official, the EU is expecting from Latvia a flexible implementation of the switch of Russian language schools to Latvian language of instruction and observation of a legitimate public interest in the implementation of the State Language Law. In its turn, the Russian officials hope that fulfilling of international obligations in Latvia and Estonia will take place before the formal accession to the EU.

Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with the director of the Second Department on the European Issues of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Russia A.Udaltsov for a Russian journal Smisl (Sense). Udaltsov believes that there is a democratic deficit in Latvia because of the lack of voting rights of a large part of residents (who are not citizens). He also draws attention to Latvias ignoring recommendations of international organizations.