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

• New ratings of political parties
• President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga on Vladimir Zhirinovskys threats of terrorist attacks in Latvia
• Establishment of Minorities Information and Culture Centre
• Chairman of the State Education inspection Zigfrids Grinpauks: several minority schools deliberately submitted low self-appraisals
• Minister of Education and Science Juris Radzevics discusses the education reform with teachers and parents of the Aizkraukle minority school
• About preparedness of Ventspils minority schools to the education reform
• Interview with the leader of the recently founded Afro-Latvian Association Christopher Ejugbo

The latest

The latest Latvijas Fakti opinion poll indicates that despite the rating decrease from 28,7% in February to 22,5% in March, New Era is still the most popular party . The rating of Union of Farmers and Greens has almost doubled from 4,2% to 8,2%. Other parties ratings are: Peoples Party - 10,2%, For Human Rights in the United Latvia - 6,8%, For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM - 5,2%, Peoples Harmony Party - 4,0%, and Latvias First Party - 3,1%. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya

President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga hopes that threats of the vice-speaker of the Russia State Council Vladimir Zhirinovsky about possible terrorist attacks in Latvia will be correspondingly evaluated by the member states of the European Union. President also believes that possibility of the official response should be carefully evaluated in order not to increase the significance of these statements. Baltic Assembly is also preparing to voice a protest about the expressions of Vladimir Zhirinovsky.

President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga hopes that threats of the vice-speaker of the Russia State Council Vladimir Zhirinovsky about possible terrorist attacks in Latvia will be correspondingly evaluated by the member states of the European Union. President also believes that possibility of the official response should be carefully evaluated in order not to increase the significance of these statements. Baltic Assembly is also preparing to voice a protest about the expressions of Vladimir Zhirinovsky. Diena, Latvijas Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Following the initiative of the Special Tasks Minister’s for Society integration Secretariat, Minorities Information and Culture Center was opened yesterday in Riga. The center will provide informative and consultative aid for minority organizations, as well as premises for organization of seminars and cultural activities. The prior task of the centre is organizing trainings for minority non-governmental organizations on attracting funding and implementing projects.

Following the initiative of the Special Tasks Ministers for Society integration Secretariat, Minorities Information and Culture Center was opened yesterday in Riga. The center will provide informative and consultative aid for minority organizations, as well as premises for organization of seminars and cultural activities. The prior task of the centre is organizing trainings for minority non-governmental organizations on attracting funding and implementing projects. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Vesti Segodnya

The chairman of the State Education inspection Zigfrids Grinpauks concedes that several minority schools have deliberately submitted a low self-appraisal to the inspection, claiming inability to provide  the necessary amount of lessons in the Latvian language. Zigfrids Grinpauks motivates his statement by the contradictions between the latest self-appraisals of these schools and the self-appraisals, submitted by the same schools before. Russian-language newspaperspublish an appeal of the Headquarters for the Defense of Russian-language Schools to minority schools’ administrations, calling them not to complete the questionnaires about the schools’ preparedness to the education reform.

The chairman of the State Education inspection Zigfrids Grinpauks concedes that several minority schools have deliberately submitted a low self-appraisal to the inspection, claiming inability to provide the necessary amount of lessons in the Latvian language. Zigfrids Grinpauks motivates his statement by the contradictions between the latest self-appraisals of these schools and the self-appraisals, submitted by the same schools before. Russian-language newspaperspublish an appeal of the Headquarters for the Defense of Russian-language Schools to minority schools administrations, calling them not to complete the questionnaires about the schools preparedness to the education reform. Latvijas Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Diena writes about the visit of the Minister of Education and Science Juris Radzevics to the Aizkraukles minority school to discuss the education reform with the teachers and parents. Teachers and parents of minority students have expressed their concern about the possible deterioration of the education quality for minority students, pointing to the teachers insufficient knowledge of the Latvian language.

Latvijas Avize features an article about the meeting of the Ventspils Mayor Aivars Lembergs and directors of the Ventspils minority schools, in order to discuss the preparedness of the towns schools to the education reform. The chairman of the Education department Aldis Slavinskis states that the teachers proficiency is sufficient for teaching 60% of subjects in Latvian, but stresses that successful implementation of the reform depends on the overall atmosphere and motivation.

Vesti Segodnya features an interview with the leader of the recently founded Afro-Latvian Association Christopher Ejugbo about the goals of the organization.