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.

• The Monitoring Committee of the Council of Europes Parliamentary Assembly has decided not to renew monitoring on human rights in Latvia
• Russian State Duma has adopted statement criticizing minority policies in Latvia
• Tatjana Zdanoka and Vladimirs Buzajevs from the party Equality deny Moscows support to the Headquarters for the Defense of Russian-Language Schools
• Multicultural Fair in Daugavpils
• The Headquarters for the Defense of Russian-language Schools call minority organizations not to participate in the integration activities and advisory councils organized by the government
• The chairman of the Riga Jewish Community Arkadijs Suharenko on the situation of Jewish community in Latvia and the education reform
• Demographic statistics: the number of immigrants to Latvia from Russia and the Union of Independent States is growing
• Latvijas Avize columnist criticizes the call of the Russian society in Latvia to other minority organizations to boycott minority children and youth sports festival
• The Russian version of information portal TVNET.lv will be established
• Chas reviews information about Russian policies in Diaspora published in Russian media

Yesterday the Monitoring Committee of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly has supported the conclusion by reporters Erik Jurgenss and Kimo Sasi who have stated that there is no the need for the renewal of the European Council’s monitoring in Latvia. The Committee has decided to continue a post-monitoring dialog with Latvia pointing to the three main problematic areas: conflict over the education reform, still non-ratified Framework Convention on the Protection of National Minorities, and slow pace of naturalization. According to the head of the  Latvian delegation Andris Berzins, only representative of Russia has voted for the renewal of monitoring in Latvia. The members of Russian delegation have proposed to renew monitoring, and according to the Council of Europe’ rules this request had to be examined. According to

Yesterday the Monitoring Committee of the Council of Europes Parliamentary Assembly has supported the conclusion by reporters Erik Jurgenss and Kimo Sasi who have stated that there is no the need for the renewal of the European Councils monitoring in Latvia. The Committee has decided to continue a post-monitoring dialog with Latvia pointing to the three main problematic areas: conflict over the education reform, still non-ratified Framework Convention on the Protection of National Minorities, and slow pace of naturalization. According to the head of the Latvian delegation Andris Berzins, only representative of Russia has voted for the renewal of monitoring in Latvia. The members of Russian delegation have proposed to renew monitoring, and according to the Council of Europe rules this request had to be examined. According to Telegraf, the General Secretary of the Council of Europe Valter Schvimmer has pointed to the necessity to pay attention to the practical tasks of the education reforms implementation. He proposed establishment of bilingual minority schools, like in Austria and Slovenia, as a possible solution. Diena, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya

Yesterday the Russian State Duma with 430 votes adopted a special statement criticizing Latvian minority and education policy. The party Rodina (Homeland) headed by Dmitry Rogozin has initiated the statement. The statement stresses that half a million of Latvian population lacks citizenship, and the fact the State Language Law stipulates Russian language as the foreign language. According to the statement, the national integration program promotes assimilation, and Latvia is systematically ignoring recommendations of international organizations. Attention is drawn to the students’ mass protest actions against the education reform, and it is stressed that the government ignores the problem. Dmitry Rogozin has invited the deputies not to  apply ratification of the treaty on collaboration between Russia and the EU, to Latvia.

Yesterday the Russian State Duma with 430 votes adopted a special statement criticizing Latvian minority and education policy. The party Rodina (Homeland) headed by Dmitry Rogozin has initiated the statement. The statement stresses that half a million of Latvian population lacks citizenship, and the fact the State Language Law stipulates Russian language as the foreign language. According to the statement, the national integration program promotes assimilation, and Latvia is systematically ignoring recommendations of international organizations. Attention is drawn to the students mass protest actions against the education reform, and it is stressed that the government ignores the problem. Dmitry Rogozin has invited the deputies not to apply ratification of the treaty on collaboration between Russia and the EU, to Latvia. Vesti Segodnya interviews Dmitry Rogozin on this issue. Latvijas Avize, Chas

At the press conference, Tatjana Zdanoka and Vladimir Buzajevs from the party “Equality” have denied any Moscow’s support to the Headquarters for the Defense of Russian-language Schools and claimed that Headquarters’’ members are being politically repressed.

At the press conference, Tatjana Zdanoka and Vladimir Buzajevs from the party Equality have denied any Moscows support to the Headquarters for the Defense of Russian-language Schools and claimed that Headquarters members are being politically repressed. Latvijas Avize, Telegraf, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Yesterday in Daugavpils, the National Programme for the Latvian Language Training has organized the first Multicultural Fair with participation of amateur groups. The event was held within the framework of Phare-financed project. Promotion of the cultural traditions of ethnic communitites living in Latgale has been the objective of the event.

Yesterday in Daugavpils, the National Programme for the Latvian Language Training has organized the first Multicultural Fair with participation of amateur groups. The event was held within the framework of Phare-financed project. Promotion of the cultural traditions of ethnic communitites living in Latgale has been the objective of the event. Latvijas Avize

Yesterday the Headquarters for the Defense of Russian-language Schools have adopted the statement calling minority organizations representing Russian-speaking community in Latvia to follow the example of the Russian society in Latvia and not to participate in integration activities and advisory councils organized by the government, as, according to the Headquarters, these events do not ensure the true dialog with the Russian community.

Yesterday the Headquarters for the Defense of Russian-language Schools have adopted the statement calling minority organizations representing Russian-speaking community in Latvia to follow the example of the Russian society in Latvia and not to participate in integration activities and advisory councils organized by the government, as, according to the Headquarters, these events do not ensure the true dialog with the Russian community. Vesti Segodnya, Chas

Latvijas Avize interviews the chairman of the Riga Jewish Community Arkadijs Suharenko on the situation of the Jewish community and the education reform. Arkadijs Suharenko states that around 20% of Jews in Latvia are socially unprotected and receive the Jewish communitys support. Arkadijs Suharenko also believes that the language proportion 60/40, stipulated by the education laws amendments, should not be changed. If I was in the governments place, I would offer social support to the teachers who will not be able to continue working after the reforms implementation, and would provide an opportunity for them to change qualifications.

Media feature Latvian demographic statistics. Over the last year, the size of population has decreased by 12,300. The death rate has exceeded the birth rate by 11,400 residents, while the number of emigrants exceeded the number of immigrants by 900. According to the information provided by the Central Statistical Bureau, around 4000 Russia’s citizens, 600 citizens of Belarus, and more than 700 Ukrainian citizens have arrived to Latvia over the last 9 years. The data of the Citizenship and Migration Affairs Office and the Naturalization Board show that immigrants from the East mostly apply for the permanent or temporary residence permit, while few of them pass naturalization procedure. According to the representative of the International Migration Organization Ilmars Mezs, the number of immigrants from Russia and the Union of Independent States will increase in the future. He explains this trend with a higher quality of life in Latvia as compared with Russia.

Media feature Latvian demographic statistics. Over the last year, the size of population has decreased by 12,300. The death rate has exceeded the birth rate by 11,400 residents, while the number of emigrants exceeded the number of immigrants by 900. According to the information provided by the Central Statistical Bureau, around 4000 Russias citizens, 600 citizens of Belarus, and more than 700 Ukrainian citizens have arrived to Latvia over the last 9 years. The data of the Citizenship and Migration Affairs Office and the Naturalization Board show that immigrants from the East mostly apply for the permanent or temporary residence permit, while few of them pass naturalization procedure. According to the representative of the International Migration Organization Ilmars Mezs, the number of immigrants from Russia and the Union of Independent States will increase in the future. He explains this trend with a higher quality of life in Latvia as compared with Russia. Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf, Chas

Latvijas Avize columnist Maris Antonevics criticizes the invitation of the chairperson of the Russian society in Latvia to other minority organizations to boycott minority children and youth sports festival to be held in Latvia for the 14th time. According to the columnists information, no other organization has recalled its participation in the festival.

Vesti Segodnya informs about Russian version of the information portal TVNET.lv, which will be established after 1 May. The portal provides information on topical events in Latvia and abroad. Vesti Segodnya

Chas reprints information about Russian policies in Diaspora from Russian media.