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.

• New Composition of Advisory Council on Minority Education
• Discussions on ratification of the Framework Prevention are planned by the Special Task Minister for Social Integration and Saeima sub-committee
• Riga Vice Mayor Dolgopolov may be excluded from Peoples Harmony Party
• Russian-speaker skepticism on EU and minority rights
• Foreign Ministrys perceived threat by Russia revisited
• Janis Jurkans criticism of Russian Duma party Rodina
• Criticism of official approach to minority youth integration
• Rafi HaradÅ£ajans on evolution of Association of National Culture Societies

Chas reports that the composition of the advisory council on minority education at the Ministry of Education is changing, posing the question whether the new one will be as subordinate to ministerial positions. Last Monday a suggestion was accepted that the council would include 10 representatives of government, municipalities, school directors (who are directly dependent on the ministry) and 15 representatives of officially registered NGOs. The newspaper comments that this means that the Ministry will be interested in including the NGOs which are supportive of the education reform, while leader of the Latvian Association for the Support of Russian-Language Schools (LAShOR) Igors Pimenovs hopes that the new council will become a mechanism for true dialogue between government and civil society.

Special Task Minister for Social Integration, reporting to the Saeima Human Rights Committee yesterday, indicated that the Social Integration Secretariat will start discussions on the ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of national Minorities.  Meanwhile, a special sub-committee is being established in the Saeima, the Social Integration Committee, which will be dealing with this issue.  The minister also reported that the Secretariat will come forth in May with proposals for legislative changes necessary for the implementation of the EU directives, especially the Race Directive.

Special Task Minister for Social Integration, reporting to the Saeima Human Rights Committee yesterday, indicated that the Social Integration Secretariat will start discussions on the ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of national Minorities. Meanwhile, a special sub-committee is being established in the Saeima, the Social Integration Committee, which will be dealing with this issue. The minister also reported that the Secretariat will come forth in May with proposals for legislative changes necessary for the implementation of the EU directives, especially the Race Directive. Vesti segodnya

Riga Vice-mayor Sergey Dolgopolov’s intention to establish a non-governmental organization uniting left-wing forces, which could eventually turn into a new political party has been greeted with incomprehension within his present party, the People’s Harmony Party.  The question of Dolgopolov’s possible exclusion from the PHP will be discussed on 15 December, promised the party leaders. 

Riga Vice-mayor Sergey Dolgopolovs intention to establish a non-governmental organization uniting left-wing forces, which could eventually turn into a new political party has been greeted with incomprehension within his present party, the Peoples Harmony Party. The question of Dolgopolovs possible exclusion from the PHP will be discussed on 15 December, promised the party leaders. Rigas Balss, Vechernaya Riga, Telegraf

Vesti segodnya publishes a Euro-skeptic article, based on an interview with a representative of the Communist Party of Greece Eliseos Vagenas. The article concludes that no support from the EU for Russian-speakers in Latvia is to be expected and that the only way forward is to organize around minority-friendly political parties and actively participate in political life within Latvia.

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An article in Telegraf discusses the Ministry of Foreign Affairs dissatisfaction with the newspapers in a recent article that Foreign Minister of Latvia had referred to Russias military threats to Latvia on the basis of its treatment of its Russian-speakers, which the ministry considers an exaggeration of Ms Kalnietes position. After publishing a longer excerpt of the foreign ministers statement the newspaper concludes that the foreign ministrys worries and the perceived threat stemmed from statements by Russian Defence Minister Segey Ivanov in Colorado Springs in October, in which he referred to the self-perceived Russian right to intervention in CIS countries, not the Baltic countries.

People’s harmony Party leader Janis Jurkans does not take seriously the Rodina party representative’s call for including including politicians allegedly legitimate to the Latvian people, such as Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM representatives Guntars Krasts or Inese Vaidere, instead of Janis Jurkans or Janis Urbanovich in a Russian-Latvian dialogue on the problems of Russian-speakers in Latvia.  Jurkans points to the fact that Rodina with its leader Rogozin will not be the ones determining the dialogue, since it is between governments, and the main role will be that of the party of President Putin. 

Peoples harmony Party leader Janis Jurkans does not take seriously the Rodina party representatives call for including including politicians allegedly legitimate to the Latvian people, such as Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM representatives Guntars Krasts or Inese Vaidere, instead of Janis Jurkans or Janis Urbanovich in a Russian-Latvian dialogue on the problems of Russian-speakers in Latvia. Jurkans points to the fact that Rodina with its leader Rogozin will not be the ones determining the dialogue, since it is between governments, and the main role will be that of the party of President Putin. Telegraf

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An article in Vechernaya Riga comments on the recent conference organized by the Secretariat of the Special Task Minister for Social Integration on problems of minority youth. According to the newspaper, despite speakers admission that twelve years after independence there is a problem of alienation from the state among minority youth, who have very low rates of naturalization there were no new proposals for dealing with the problem. Naturalization and learning Latvian are still seen by the state as the way forward and the Special Task Ministers stress on the necessity of the minority education reform. The article points out that there was no representative at the conference of the group spoken about – minority youth – and that the working languages of the conference were only Latvian and English.

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As Diena person Rafi Haradţajans, leader of the Association for National Cultural Societies, talks about the evolution of the Association and its continued work during Latvias integration into Europe, including both new and traditional minorities.