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.

• MPs from Peoples Harmony Party submit a claim against the education reform to the Constitutional Court
• President of Russia Vladimir Putin has allegedly promised to ratify the boarder agreements with Latvia and Estonia
• Access to the content of the State Security Committees of the Soviet Republic of Latvia former agents files could be limited
• Union of the Belarusian Societies in Latvia expresses support to the Special Tasks Minister for Society Integration Nils Muiznieks
• Interview with the Special Tasks Minister for Society Integration Nils Muiznieks about society integration issues and the upcoming vote of confidence
• Activist of the Headquarters for the Defense of Russian-language Schools Aleksandrs Kazakovs submits a court claim against the Prime Minister Indulis Emsis
• Russia Foreign Affairs Ministry condemns amendments to the law On the Status of Former USSR Citizens Who are not Citizens of Latvia or Any Other State

MPs from People’s Harmony Party Boris Tsilevitch and Vitalijs Orlovs have submitted a claim to the Constitutional Court, pointing to the nonconformity of several norms,  stipulated by the Law’s on Education with regards to transition to the Latvian language as a main language of tuition in minorities’ schools, to the Constitution of Latvia, as well as to the binding for Latvia European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.

MPs from Peoples Harmony Party Boris Tsilevitch and Vitalijs Orlovs have submitted a claim to the Constitutional Court, pointing to the nonconformity of several norms, stipulated by the Laws on Education with regards to transition to the Latvian language as a main language of tuition in minorities schools, to the Constitution of Latvia, as well as to the binding for Latvia European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. Neatkariga Rita Avize, Rigas Balss, Latvijas Avize, Telegraf, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Newspapers, referring to the official information of the Irish Presidency of the European Union, inform that during the last-week summit of Russia and the EU the President of Russia Vladimir Putin has promised to ratify boarder agreements with Latvia and Estonia.

Newspapers, referring to the official information of the Irish Presidency of the European Union, inform that during the last-week summit of Russia and the EU the President of Russia Vladimir Putin has promised to ratify boarder agreements with Latvia and Estonia. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Latvijas Avize

Full access to the content of the State Security Committee’s of the Soviet Republic of Latvia former agents’ files could be granted only to politically repressed persons,  participants of the national resistance movement and their next of kin, suggested experts during their meeting with the representatives of the Saeima Legal Affairs Committee. The experts also agreed that prohibition to naturalize as well as to hold specific offices for the former agents of the State Security Committee can not be prolonged automatically, pointing to the necessity to review the list of prohibited positions. According to the experts, the prohibition must be retained for the posts in the prosecutor’s office, state security institutions and courts.

Full access to the content of the State Security Committees of the Soviet Republic of Latvia former agents files could be granted only to politically repressed persons, participants of the national resistance movement and their next of kin, suggested experts during their meeting with the representatives of the Saeima Legal Affairs Committee. The experts also agreed that prohibition to naturalize as well as to hold specific offices for the former agents of the State Security Committee can not be prolonged automatically, pointing to the necessity to review the list of prohibited positions. According to the experts, the prohibition must be retained for the posts in the prosecutors office, state security institutions and courts. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Rigas Balss, Latvijas Avize, Telegraf

Union of Belarusian Societies in Latvia has sent an open letter to the Prime Minister Indulis Emsis, Saeima Speaker Ingrida Udre, Special Tasks Minister for Society Integration Nils Muiznieks and mass media, objecting to the attempts to dismiss Nils Muiznieks from his post. According to the letter, dismissal of Nils Muiznieks from the post of the minister, based upon a fictional reason, would mean return to the past when minorities of Latvia have been ignored, and their integration into Latvian society was regarded only as their inclusion into the Latvian language and cultural environment.

Union of Belarusian Societies in Latvia has sent an open letter to the Prime Minister Indulis Emsis, Saeima Speaker Ingrida Udre, Special Tasks Minister for Society Integration Nils Muiznieks and mass media, objecting to the attempts to dismiss Nils Muiznieks from his post. According to the letter, dismissal of Nils Muiznieks from the post of the minister, based upon a fictional reason, would mean return to the past when minorities of Latvia have been ignored, and their integration into Latvian society was regarded only as their inclusion into the Latvian language and cultural environment. Chas

Vesti Segodnya features an interview with the Special Tasks Minister for Society Integration Nils Muiznieks about society integration issues and the upcoming Saeima vote of confidence to him. According to the minister, the main task of integration is to achieve that all society members feel a sense of belonging to the state, and it is necessary to pay special attention to the integration of minority youth. Answering a question about his readiness to develop the dialogue with the representatives of the Headquarters for the Defense of Russian Language Schools, Nils Muiznieks said that in his opinion, the real goal pursued by the Headquarters is a higher political rating, not a constructive dialogue.

Assistant of the Russia’s State Council deputy speaker Dmitry Rogozin and the activist of the Headquarters for the Defense of Russian-language Schools Aleksandrs Kazakovs have submitted a claim to the court against the Prime Minister Indulis Emsis, requiring a public recall of the prime minister’s statement that Kazakovs is a ‘Moscow consultant’ in organizing protest actions.

Assistant of the Russias State Council deputy speaker Dmitry Rogozin and the activist of the Headquarters for the Defense of Russian-language Schools Aleksandrs Kazakovs have submitted a claim to the court against the Prime Minister Indulis Emsis, requiring a public recall of the prime ministers statement that Kazakovs is a ‘Moscow consultant in organizing protest actions. Diena, Latvijas Avize, Telegraf, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Russia Foreign Affairs Ministry has made a statement condemning amendments to the law On the Status of Former USSR Citizens Who are not Citizens of Latvia or Any Other State, adopted by Saeima in the second reading. The amendments stipulate that persons who have received a residence permit in another country after 1 May 2004 can be deprived of their non-citizen status in Latvia. According to the Russia Foreign Affairs Ministry, by adopting such amendments the government of Latvia continues the policy of discrimination against the large part of Latvian inhabitants who are not citizens of Latvia.

Russia Foreign Affairs Ministry has made a statement condemning amendments to the law On the Status of Former USSR Citizens Who are not Citizens of Latvia or Any Other State, adopted by Saeima in the second reading. The amendments stipulate that persons who have received a residence permit in another country after 1 May 2004 can be deprived of their non-citizen status in Latvia. According to the Russia Foreign Affairs Ministry, by adopting such amendments the government of Latvia continues the policy of discrimination against the large part of Latvian inhabitants who are not citizens of Latvia. Latvijas Avize, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya