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.

Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• Education and societal integration experts about the amendments to the Law on Education
• Over 1,000 participants in unapproved protest action against the amendments to the Law on Education
• Riga Vice-Mayor Sergey Dolgopolov on education reform deadlock
• Representative of the Russia Foreign Affairs Ministry A. Jakovenko criticizes the amendments to Latvias Law on Education
• RussiaState Council rejects the proposal of the parliamentary group Rodina member Viktors Alksnis to discuss the observation of Russian-speakers human rights in Latvia

Diena features the statements of education and societal integration experts about the amendments to the Law on Education, regarding the decision of the Saeima as ill advised and directed against social integration. The Special Tasks Minister for the Societal Integration Nils Muiznieks and the director of the Society Integration Foundation Nils Sakss point to the ambiguity and the varied interpretation possibilities of the norm which stipulates that all instruction in minority secondary schools from grade 10 must be in the Latvian language, with the exception of minority languages as subjects in themselves and those subjects which relate to the maintenance of minority identity. Independent experts from NGOs Ilze Brands Kehris and Irena Freimane are more critical and consider the new amendments a breach of earlier government promises of a 60-40% division between state and minority languages in secondary minority education. The Special Task Minister is planning to meet Saeima MPs and the officials of the Ministry of Education and Science to discuss this issue.

Yesterday approximately 1,000 – 2,000 students, their parents and representatives of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-Language Schools participated at an unapproved protest action near the Ministry of the Education and Science against the amendments to the Law on Education. Saeima MP and representative of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-Language Schools Jakov Pliner, as reported by

Yesterday approximately 1,000 – 2,000 students, their parents and representatives of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-Language Schools participated at an unapproved protest action near the Ministry of the Education and Science against the amendments to the Law on Education. Saeima MP and representative of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-Language Schools Jakov Pliner, as reported by Latvijas Avize, stresses that this protest action was an initiative of Russian-language schools and denies the role of the Defenders of Russian-Language school as the main organizers of this protest action. According to Dienas reporter,the young people interviewed were protesting against the education reform as such and were not informed about the latest amendments to the law. Diena, Latvijas Avize, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Vesti Segodnya, Chas

Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with Riga Vice-Mayor Sergey Dolgopolov, who believes that discussion about the 2004 education reform has reached a deadlock. According to the Vice-Mayor both sides – the supporters of the reform as well as its opponents - are not able to make concessions and therefore a compromise in this area is impossible.

The representative of Russia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry A. Jakovenko states that the decision of the Saeima on the amendments to the Law on Education shows that the Latvian legislation is in conflict with the general tendencies in European human rights, where extending the possibilities for minorities to use their mother tongue are allegedly the norm.

The representative of Russias Foreign Affairs Ministry A. Jakovenko states that the decision of the Saeima on the amendments to the Law on Education shows that the Latvian legislation is in conflict with the general tendencies in European human rights, where extending the possibilities for minorities to use their mother tongue are allegedly the norm. Vesti Segodnya, Chas

Russia State Council has rejected a proposal of the parliamentary group “Rodina” member Viktors Alksnis to invite the Russia Foreign Affairs minister Igor Ivanov to participate at the State Council’s session to discuss the observation of Russian-speakers human rights in Latvia.

Russia State Council has rejected a proposal of the parliamentary group Rodina member Viktors Alksnis to invite the Russia Foreign Affairs minister Igor Ivanov to participate at the State Councils session to discuss the observation of Russian-speakers human rights in Latvia. Latvijas Avize