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.

• President Vaira Vike-Freiberga does not proclaim the legal amendments, adopted by the Saeima, making publicly available the files recording former agents of Soviet Latvias State Security Committee
• At summit in Moscow EU and Russia discuss the Russian minority situation in Latvia
• Saeima accepts for review in commissions proposed amendments making punishable in the Criminal Law the public call to carry out acts that are administratively or criminally punishable
• Interview with the former state secretary of the Ministry of Interior Andris Staris
• Latvia Azerbaijan Society supports the Special Task Minister for Society Integration Affairs Nils Muiznieks
• Small-scale demonstration against the education reform in Liepaja
• Conference Ethnic minorities in Latgale: yesterday, today, tomorrow
• Minorities culture festival in Valmiera
• Event I speak Russian
• Formation of the Youth Guard to promote protest actions against the education reform
• Leader of national radical organization Visu Latvijai! argues for stricter Citizenship Law

President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga has returned to Saeima for repeat review the amended law, which stipulates the making publicly available the files on former agents of the State Security Committee’s of the Soviet Republic of Latvia . The President has called on the Saeima to discuss the necessity to prolong the prohibition to hold certain positions for ex-staff of the State Security Committee as well as the making the files publicly available, while considering how to protect persons, whose names may be in the files, but who have had no connection to political or ideological reporting.

President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga has returned to Saeima for repeat review the amended law, which stipulates the making publicly available the files on former agents of the State Security Committees of the Soviet Republic of Latvia . The President has called on the Saeima to discuss the necessity to prolong the prohibition to hold certain positionsfor ex-staff of the State Security Committee as well as the making the files publicly available, while considering how to protect persons, whose names may be in the files, but who have had no connection to political or ideological reporting. Chas features an interview with the leader of the Peoples Harmony Party Janis Jurkans, who believes that the premature decision of Saeima is connected with gaining political advantage at the upcoming European Parliament elections. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Cha, Vesti Segodnyas

Russian minority’s situation in Latvia was discussed during the Russia and the EU summit in Moscow yesterday. President of Russia Vladimir Putin has stressed that the new member states will have to observe the conception of the integrated Europe in the area of human rights, expressing a trust that ‘Russian-speakers of the Baltic States will feel a positive change in the near future’. While the President of the European Council Bertie Ahern has stated that Latvia and Estonia fully comply with their obligations in the area of human rights, the President of the European Commission Romano Prodi has recognized that there are some problems in this area, pointing to the necessity for the new member states of the EU to offer the more care about the observation of the Russian-speaking minority’s rights and their integration in the EU.

Russian minoritys situation in Latvia was discussed during the Russia and the EU summit in Moscow yesterday. President of Russia Vladimir Putin has stressed that the new member states will have to observe the conception of the integrated Europe in the area of human rights, expressing a trust that ‘Russian-speakers of the Baltic States will feel a positive change in the near future. While the President of the European Council Bertie Ahern has stated that Latvia and Estonia fully comply with their obligations in the area of human rights, the President of the European Commission Romano Prodi has recognized that there are some problems in this area, pointing to the necessity for the new member states of the EU to offer the more care about the observation of the Russian-speaking minoritys rights and their integration in the EU. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Latvijas Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Saeima has accepted for review in commissions proposed amendments to the Criminal law, initiated by the parliamentary group For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM.  The amendments stipulate punishment for issuing public calls to carry out acts, which carry with them administrative or criminal penalty. The minimal punishment foreseen for such act is imprisonment up to three years or a fine up to 100 minimum monthly salaries. The amendments have been drawn up due to the protest actions against the education reform, and they are intended to be applicable also to the cases, when any such appeals are addressed to juveniles.

Saeima has accepted for review in commissions proposed amendments to the Criminal law, initiated by the parliamentary group For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM. The amendments stipulate punishment for issuing public calls to carry out acts, which carry with them administrative or criminal penalty. The minimal punishment foreseen for such act is imprisonment up to three years or a fine up to 100 minimum monthly salaries. The amendments have been drawn up due to the protest actions against the education reform, and they are intended to be applicable also to the cases, when any such appeals are addressed to juveniles. Diena

Neatkariga Rita Avize features an interview with the former state secretary of the Ministry of Interior Andris Staris. He believes that the State Security Police and the Constitutional Defense Bureau must be considerably more active in their work as a result of the protest actions against the education reform.

Latvia Azerbaijan Society has disseminated an open letter to state officials, expressing support for the work of the Special Task Minister for Society Integration Affairs Nils Muiznieks, whose resignation has been demanded by the party New Era. According to the chairman of the Azerbaijan Society Alirza Guseinovs minority cultural associations are feeling a real support and interest for their work since Nils Muiznieks is minister and for that reason his society supports the policy of the Secretariat, which is seeking to establish a dialogue on some outstanding problems.

Latvia Azerbaijan Society has disseminated an open letter to state officials, expressing support for the work of the Special Task Minister for Society Integration Affairs Nils Muiznieks, whose resignation has been demanded by the party New Era. According to the chairman of the Azerbaijan Society Alirza Guseinovs minority cultural associations are feeling a real support and interest for their work since Nils Muiznieks is minister and for that reason his society supports the policy of the Secretariat, which is seeking to establish a dialogue on some outstanding problems. Latvijas Avize

Approximately 30 persons participated at a picket against the education reform in Liepaja.

Approximately 30 persons participated at a picket against the education reform in Liepaja. Diena, Chas

Latvijas Avize informs about the conference Ethnic minorities in Latgale: yesterday, today, tomorrow, organized by the Southern-Latgale NGO Supporting Centre and the Naturalization Board. Concern over the lack of a unified funding mechanism for minorities NGOs was expressed during the conference. The necessity to ratify the Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities was also discussed. Although there are 47 minority NGOs in Latgale, only a few NGOs had delegated representatives to the conference.

Hundreds of minority representatives will participate at the minorities’ culture festival, which will take place in Valmiera today. The festival is one of the activities funded within the framework “The Promotion of the Society Integration in Latvia”, financially supported by EU PHARE through the Society Integration Foundation.

Hundreds of minority representatives will participate at the minorities culture festival, which will take place in Valmiera today. The festival is one of the activities funded within the framework The Promotion of the Society Integration in Latvia, financially supported by EU PHARE through the Society Integration Foundation. Latvijas Avize

Russian-language newspapers inform about the event “I speak Russian”, which will take place this Sunday in Riga. According to the organizers, this event is not  political, but is intended as a promotion of the cultural values of the Russian language.

Russian-language newspapers inform about the event I speak Russian, which will take place this Sunday in Riga. According to the organizers, this event is not political, but is intended as a promotion of the cultural values of the Russian language. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Newspapers write about the formation of the Youth Guard – an organization, which could work to ensure participation of minority students in protest actions against the education reform during the summer holidays.

Newspapers write about the formation of the Youth Guard – an organization, which could work to ensure participation of minority students in protest actions against the education reform during the summer holidays. Diena, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Latvijas Avize prints an article by the leader of extreme national organization Visu Latvijai! Raivis Dzintars, who believes that the Latvian Citizenship Law should be made more rigorous and should prescribe strict limits for the number of the persons, who could be naturalized every year. According to Raivis Dzintars, too large a number of the persons living in Latvia are dependent on the mass media and politicians, who are loyal to Russia and the light-minded naturalization of this group entails a danger for Latvian political power in the state.