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

• Peoples Harmony Party discusses recent amendments to the law On the Status of Former Citizens of the USSR who are Not Citizens of Latvia or Any Other State with the representatives of the Presidents Chancery
• Statements of the Minister for Education and Science Juris Radzevics
• Peoples Harmony Party announces their candidate lists for the European Parliament
• Observer from Latvia to the European Parliament Boris Tsilevich on the necessity to recognize minorities rights to cultural and language diversity
• Interview with the leader of the non-governmental organization Rietumu krievi Dmitrijs Nikolajevs
• Leader of the For Human Rights in the United Latvia Tatjana Zdanoka is not planning to withdraw her claim to the European Court for Human Rights
• Headquarters for the Defense of Russian-language Schools invite to participate in the protest actions
• Celebration of the Muslim New Year in Latvia

Yesterday representatives of the People’s Harmony Party (PHP) and representatives of the President Chancery have met to discuss amendments to the law “On the Status of Former Citizens of the USSR who are Not Citizens of Latvia or Any Other State”, which PHP asks not to announce. MP Aleksandrs Bartasevics has stated that these amendments will cause an avalanche of lawsuits against Latvia, because the amendments allow for depriving persons who have  lived outside Latvia for an extended period of time, obtained a residence permit in another country, or have registered  domicile in the member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States after 1 July 1992, of the non-citizen status of Latvia, According to the MP, many people register domicile in Russia in order to get a job in that country. Former chairperson of the Saeima Legal Affairs Committee Solvita Aboltina believes that the true goal of PHP is not cancellation of the amendments, but rather calling attention to the status of non-citizens in Latvia.

Yesterday representatives of the Peoples Harmony Party (PHP) and representatives of the President Chancery have met to discuss amendments to the law On the Status of Former Citizens of the USSR who are Not Citizens of Latvia or Any Other State, which PHP asks not to announce. MP Aleksandrs Bartasevics has stated that these amendments will cause an avalanche of lawsuits against Latvia, because the amendments allow for depriving persons who have lived outside Latvia for an extended period of time, obtained a residence permit in another country, or have registered domicile in the member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States after 1 July 1992, of the non-citizen status of Latvia, According to the MP, many people register domicile in Russia in order to get a job in that country. Former chairperson of the Saeima Legal Affairs Committee Solvita Aboltina believes that the true goal of PHP is not cancellation of the amendments, but rather calling attention to the status of non-citizens in Latvia. Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya, Chas

Minister of Education and Science Juris Radzevics in his interview to the Russian news agency

Minister of Education and Science Juris Radzevics in his interview to the Russian news agency Regnum has said that reform of the Russian schools in Latvia is a problem not only for Latvia, but for the whole EU. According to Radzevics, the Prime Minister Indulis Emsiss request to form a work group for developing a dialogue with the non-governmental organizations about implementation of the education reform is a response to the formation of the discussion group during the Congress of the Defenders of Russian-language schools. Vesti Segodnya

People’s Harmony Party has announced their candidate lists for the European Parliament elections. MP Boris Tsilevich is leading the list, the head of the Latvian Association for the Support of Russian-Language Schools and member of Latvia’s Socialist Party Igors Pimenovs is running number three. According to Igors Pimenovs, simultaneous inclusion of his name in the candidate list of Latvia’s Socialist Party is against his will, and therefore against the law. He stressed that he is honored to candidate from the PHP, the party which cares for minority interests and is against the two-community state in Latvia.

Peoples Harmony Party has announced their candidate lists for the European Parliament elections. MP Boris Tsilevich is leading the list, the head of the Latvian Association for the Support of Russian-Language Schools and member of Latvias Socialist Party Igors Pimenovs is running number three. According to Igors Pimenovs, simultaneous inclusion of his name in the candidate list of Latvias Socialist Party is against his will, and therefore against the law. He stressed that he is honored to candidate from the PHP, the party which cares for minority interests and is against the two-community state in Latvia. Latvijas Avize, Telegraf, Chas

Vesti Segodnya prints statements of the Latvian observer to the European Parliament (EP) Boris Tsilevich about preservation of the minority rights to maintain their cultural and language diversity after Latvian accession to the EU, and possible increase in Brussels pressure on Latvia and other accession countries to implement European anti-discrimination legislation.

Latvijas Avize features an interview with Dmitrijs Nikolajevs, leader of the non-governmental organization Rietumu krievi (Western Russians), which has expressed support of the education reform. Dmitrijs Nikolajevs believes time has come for Russian-speakers who are loyal towards the Latvian state to speak up; otherwise they are all being automatically identified with the activities of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools. Dmitrijs Nikolajevs believes that the Headquarters failed to unite promised 10% of Russian-speakers in their protest actions against the education reform, and that those protest actions is the last hope for the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia, who has driven themselves against the wall with their ungrounded promises for zero (i.e. automatic for all) alternative of citizenship.

The leader of the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia Tatjana Zdanoka is not planning to withdraw her claim against Latvia at the Court for Human Rights despite the fact that Latvian European Parliament election law allows her to stand as a candidate.

The leader of the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia Tatjana Zdanoka is not planning to withdraw her claim against Latvia at the Court for Human Rights despite the fact that Latvian European Parliament election law allows her to stand as a candidate. Vesti Segodnya

Russian language newspapers feature appeal of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools for participation in the protest actions against the education reform.

Russian language newspapers feature appeal of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools for participation in the protest actions against the education reform. Vesti Segodnya, Chas

Latvijas Avize writes about the celebration of the Muslim New Year on 21 March, organized by the Uzbek cultural society of Latvia. Latvijas Avize