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.

• First Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Alvaro Gill-Robles on minority situation in Latvia
• Prime Minister Indulis Emsis about the implementation of the education reform and ratification of the Framework Convention
• Interview with the candidate to the Foreign Affairs Minister post Artis Pabriks
• Secretariat for Societal Integration plans to develop the Roma integration programme
• A call to minority students parents to engage more actively in school advisory boards
• Newspapers continue to write about the forthcoming picket against the education reform of Latvia in Strasbourg
• A renewal of proceeding in the case of Slivenko family

Latvia should make efforts to integrate national minorities in the political life of the state, stated the First Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Alvaro Gill-Robles during his visit to Moscow. Alvaro Gill-Robles also believes that the Latvian government should foster naturalisation of children, whose parents are Latvian non-citizens, as well as non-citizens should have the right to vote in municipal elections, requirements for naturalisation should be softened and the education reform should be implemented very carefully.

Latvia should make efforts to integrate national minorities in the political life of the state, stated the First Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Alvaro Gill-Robles during his visit to Moscow. Alvaro Gill-Robles also believes that the Latvian government should foster naturalisation of children, whose parents are Latvian non-citizens, as well as non-citizens should have the right to vote in municipal elections, requirements for naturalisation should be softened and the education reform should be implemented very carefully. Vesti Segodnya

Chas prints an interview with the Prime Minister Indulis Emsis, who believes that Latvia could ratify the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities with a number of reservations and that Latvian legislation already corresponds with the requirements of the Convention. In regard to the implementation of the education reform, Indulis Emsis states that the stance of the government has not changed – there is no necessity to introduce the moratorium on the education reform, because, according to the Prime Minister, more than 70% of minority schools have already ‘passed the exam which confirms their readiness to implement the reform. However, the Prime Minister also notes that the government will work with those schools, which were not able to prove their readiness.

Neatkariga Rita Avize features an interview with the candidate to the post of the Foreign Affairs Minister Artis Pabriks. He believes that before Latvias accession to the EU and NATO, the country had to adjust to the standards set by these institutions, however, now it is time when Latvia has the right to act in according to her will. One of his key goals in case of his election will be the removal of the name of Latvia from the agenda of international community when the issues concerning human and minority rights and discrimination are discussed. Regarding the ratification of the Framework Convention, Artis Pabriks says that there are a number of reasons why Latvia should ratify the Convention, however, there are also a number of reasons why the Government should not rush with ratification.

The Special Tasks Minister’s For Societal Integration Secretariat is planning to develop a programme, which would promote observation of rights of the Roma community in Latvia. Before development of the programme, the Secretariat is meeting with representatives of the Roma community to find out whether Roma themselves are ready to cooperate.

The Special Tasks Ministers For Societal Integration Secretariat is planning to develop a programme, which would promote observation of rights of the Roma community in Latvia. Before development of the programme, the Secretariat is meeting with representatives of the Roma community to find out whether Roma themselves are ready to cooperate. Latvijas Avize

Chas prints an article by the Head of the Saeima For Human Rights in the United Latvia parliamentary group Jakovs Pliners and teacher Valerijs Buhvalovs. Both activists invite parents of minority students to get involved into the work of minority school boards, so they could influence the implementation of the education reform. They also believe that, considering that there will not be significant changes in the policy of the education reform until 1 September 2004, parents should demand additional funding from municipalities, the Ministry of Education and Science and the Saeima Education, Culture and Science Committee for textbooks and for extra classes on subjects, hard to study in the state language.

Newspapers continue to write about the forthcoming picket against the education reform of Latvia during the first plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

Newspapers continue to write about the forthcoming picket against the education reform of Latvia during the first plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Diena, Chas, Telegraf

The Department of Citizenship and Migration Affairs applied with the Senate of the Supreme Court of Latvia, asking to re-open the case of the Slivenko’s family. The suggestion to clarify the legal status of Tatjana and Karina Slivenko in Latvia has been received from the Cabinet of Ministers of the Council of Europe because the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) established that Latvia violated the rights of the Slivenkos’ to the personal life, however, did not set the methods of dealing with the established violation.

The Department of Citizenship and Migration Affairs applied with the Senate of the Supreme Court of Latvia, asking to re-open the case of the Slivenkos family. The suggestion to clarify the legal status of Tatjana and Karina Slivenko in Latvia has been received from the Cabinet of Ministers of the Council of Europe because the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) established that Latvia violated the rights of the Slivenkos to the personal life, however, did not set the methods of dealing with the established violation. Diena