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.

• Planned protest actions against the education reform
• Deputy Chairman of the Riga City Councils Education, Youth Affairs and Sports department Guntis Helmanis calls not to participate in the protest actions
• Interview with the Foreign Affairs Minister of Latvia Rihards Piks
• President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga will not have an adviser on nationalities issues in the nearest future
• Appeal to the teachers to support establishment of moratorium on the education reform
• FHRUL worries about Russian-speakers not being informed about the EP election process

Newspapers write about the oncoming protest actions against the education reform. For Human Rights in the United Latvia (FHRUL) has resubmitted an application to the Riga City Council, asking for permission to organize a protest meeting on 16 April. Yesterday Headquarters for the Defense of Russian-language schools already organized an action, during which leaflets calling minority students to participate in the strike and other protest actions against the education reform were distributed.

Newspapers write about the oncoming protest actions against the education reform. For Human Rights in the United Latvia (FHRUL) has resubmitted an application to the Riga City Council, asking for permission to organize a protest meeting on 16 April. Yesterday Headquarters for the Defense of Russian-language schools already organized an action, during which leaflets calling minority students to participate in the strike and other protest actions against the education reform were distributed. Chas prints an article by the Saeima MP Vladimirs Buzajevs (FHRUL) about the goals of the protest actions, organized by the Headquarters for the Defense of Russian-language Schools. Diena, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Deputy Chairman of the Riga City Council’s Education, Youth Affairs and Sports department Guntis Helmanis has made an appeal to minority schools teachers and students’ parents, calling them to evaluate carefully possible participation of students in the protest actions against the education reform. Guntis Helmanis stresses that the municipality security units cannot ensure safety of the children during the actions. The chairman also points to the fact that participation in the protest actions impedes  students’ preparation to the end of the school year’s tests, and may influence their performance negatively.

Deputy Chairman of the Riga City Councils Education, Youth Affairs and Sports department Guntis Helmanis has made an appeal to minority schools teachers and students parents, calling them to evaluate carefully possible participation of students in the protest actions against the education reform. Guntis Helmanis stresses that the municipality security units cannot ensure safety of the children during the actions. The chairman also points to the fact that participation in the protest actions impedes students preparation to the end of the school years tests, and may influence their performance negatively. Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segodnya features an interview with the Foreign Affairs Minister of Latvia Rihards Piks, who believes that political relationship between Russia and Latvia will not improver immediately. According to the minister, Russia needs time to get used to the new status of Latvia after its accession to the NATO and the EU.

President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga will not have an adviser on nationalities’ issues in the nearest future. According to the Head of the Chancery of the President Martins Bondars, the president already has a non-staff adviser on society integration issues, and there is a Special Task Minister for Society Integration, therefore there is no immediate need for another adviser, although this position may be renewed in the future. Previous president’s adviser on nationalities’ issues Olgerts Tipans left his post at the President’s Chancery at the end of last year.

President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga will not have an adviser on nationalities issues in the nearest future. According to the Head of the Chanceryof the President Martins Bondars, the president already has a non-staff adviser on society integration issues, and there is a Special Task Minister for Society Integration, therefore there is no immediate need for another adviser, although this position may be renewed in the future. Previous presidents adviser on nationalities issues Olgerts Tipans left his post at the Presidents Chancery at the end of last year. Latvijas Avize

Chas features a statement of the Latvian Association for the Support of Russian-Language Schools and Russian-language school teachers society, calling all schools in Latvia to support the request of the Riga Secondary School Nr. 40 teachers to establish a moratorium on the education reform.

Newspapers write about appeal of the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia to inform about possible violations in the process of the European parliament election.

Newspapers write about appeal of the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia to inform about possible violations in the process of the European parliament election. Latvijas Avize journalist Aija Calite criticizes statements of the FHRULs leader Tatjana Zdanoka that Russian-speakers are not informed about the EP election because information campaign takes place only in Latvian. Journalist points to the fact that only citizens can participate at the EP election, and that each naturalization applicant must pass a Latvian language exam. Aija Calite believes that the true goal of these statements is to challenge, and possibly to annul the elections results in case they are unfavorable for FHRUL. Representative of the union Miroslavs Mitrofanovs states that FHRUL will request to set a new date for election, if there is a large amount of complaints on lack of information from voters. Telegraf, Latvijas Avize