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.

• Newspapers continue discussion about the proposal to deny the rights for non-citizens to occupy positions of teachers and headmasters
• Saeima MPs consider necessary to evaluate the performance of the Latvian representative to the international human rights organizations
• The Orthodox Church of Latvia and the Old Believers propose to make Orthodox Christmas a state holiday
• Retrospective article about the actions against the education reform 2004
• First deputy minister for Foreign Affairs of Russia Eleonora Mitrophanova about the status of Russian language in the post-soviet republics
• Rating of the party New Era increases
• About possible establishment of the Saeima Subcommittee for the investigation of totalitarian regimes crimes
• The plans of Russian language schools defenders for the next year
• Ambassador of Russia Igor Studennikov about the relationship between Latvia and Russia

24 December 2003

Newspapers continue discussion about the proposal of the party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM to deny the rights for non-citizens to occupy positions of teachers and headmasters. The head of Saeima Committee on Human Rights and Social Affairs suggests to solve the problem by equalizing the status of teachers with the civil servants. According to Druviete, then the teachers will have to naturalize, and their wages level will be adjusted to the civil service level, which is in the teachers’ interests.

Newspapers continue discussion about the proposal of the party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM to deny the rights for non-citizens to occupy positions of teachers and headmasters. The head of Saeima Committee on Human Rights and Social Affairs suggests to solve the problem by equalizing the status of teachers with the civil servants. According to Druviete, then the teachers will have to naturalize, and their wages level will be adjusted to the civil service level, which is in the teachers interests. Vesti Segodnya features the opinions of Russian language schools teachers and headmasters. Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya

Latvijas Avize features statements of Saeima MPs about the necessity of evaluating the performance of Inga Reine, the Latvian representative to the international human rights organizations. The MPs say that Inga Reines opinion on the human and minority rights situation in Latvia is different from the state opinion, and therefore she may not be the most suitable person to hold the office.

The representatives of Latvia’s First Party have expressed their support to the proposal of the Orthodox Church ministers to announce the 7th of January, when Orthodox believers and Old Believers celebrate Christmas.

The representatives of Latvias First Party have expressed their support to the proposal of the Orthodox Church ministers to announce the 7th of January, when Orthodox believers and Old Believers celebrate Christmas. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Vechernaya Riga features a retrospective article about the actions against the education reform 2004 carried out during this year.

27 December 2003

Latvijas Avize features an article about the opinions of the first deputy minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Eleonora Mitrophanova on the status of Russian language in the post-soviet republics, reportedly expressed in the interview to the journal Diplomat. E. Mitrophanova states that it is essential to officially establish the status of Russian as language of international communication in the post-soviet geographical space inhabited by persons belonging to minorities in substantial numbers. According to the official, it is very important because several states in the Commonwealth of Independent States and in the Baltics aspire to diminish the sphere of Russian language usage.

According to the opinion poll conducted by the research centre SKDS, the rating of party New Era has increased from 27, 7% in November till 29, and 3% in December. Other most popular political parties in December were For Human Rights in the United Latvia (10%), People’s Party (8, 8%), Union of Greens and Farmer (6, 9%), Latvia’s First Party (6, 3%) and People’s Harmony Party (5, 9%). The ratings of other parties are under 5%.

According to the opinion poll conducted by the research centre SKDS, the rating of party New Era has increased from 27, 7% in November till 29, and 3% in December. Other most popular political parties in December were For Human Rights in the United Latvia (10%), Peoples Party (8, 8%), Union of Greens and Farmer (6, 9%), Latvias First Party (6, 3%) and Peoples Harmony Party (5, 9%). The ratings of other parties are under 5%. Diena, Vesti Segodnya

29 December 2003

Latvijas Avize features an article about possible establishment of the Saeima Subcommittee for the investigation of totalitarian regimes crimes during the first meeting of Saeima Committee on Human Rights and Social Affairs next year.

The defenders of Russian language schools are ready to continue protest actions against the education reform 2004 also next year, if no agreement with the governing coalition about the postponement of the reform will be reached.

The defenders of Russian language schools are ready to continue protest actions against the education reform 2004 also next year, if no agreement with the governing coalition about the postponement of the reform will be reached. Neatkariga Rita Avize, Vesti Segodnya

30 December 2003

Russian language newspapers feature interviews with the Ambassador of Russia Igor Studennikov about the relationship between Latvia and Russia. The Ambassador reportedly states that there have been no significant changes in the area of observation of Russian speaking people’s rights in Latvia during this year. Igor Studennikov also thinks that the large number of non-citizens and the slow naturalization process creates a serious long-term deficit of democracy in Latvia.

Russian language newspapers feature interviews with the Ambassador of Russia Igor Studennikov about the relationship between Latvia and Russia. The Ambassador reportedly states that there have been no significant changes in the area of observation of Russian speaking peoples rights in Latvia during this year. Igor Studennikov also thinks that the large number of non-citizens and the slow naturalization process creates a serious long-term deficit of democracy in Latvia. Vesti Segodnya, Chas