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.

• Drafting the Law on Minority Schools
• Opinion of Janis Kuzins about social integration issues
• Interview with the leader of national-extremist organisation ‘Visu Latvijai! Raivis Dzintars

The Prime Minister Indulis Emsis has charged the Ministry of Education and Science and the Special Tasks Minister’s for Social Integration Secretariat to form a joint working group to develop a draft Law on Minority Schools. The law should define the concept of minority school, which would guarantee preservation of one’s national affiliation, culture and traditions. The Ministry of Education and Science supports elaboration of a new law if it is developed within the framework of existing legislation which stipulate the switch to the Latvian language as the key language of instruction at minority schools. While the Latvian Association for the Support of Russian-language Schools has expressed a hope that in accordance with the new law minority schools themselves would havean opportunity to choose the language of instruction.

The Prime Minister Indulis Emsis has charged the Ministry of Education and Science and the Special Tasks Ministers for Social Integration Secretariat to form a joint working group to develop a draft Law on Minority Schools. The law should define the concept of minority school, which would guarantee preservation of ones national affiliation, culture and traditions. The Ministry of Education and Science supports elaboration of a new law if it is developed within the framework of existing legislation which stipulate the switch to the Latvian language as the key language of instruction at minority schools. While the Latvian Association for the Support of Russian-language Schools has expressed a hope that in accordance with the new law minority schools themselves would havean opportunity to choose the language of instruction. Diena, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Latvijas Avize features the opinion of Janis Kuzins, who was recently expelled from the Latvian Social Democratic Labour Party and whose employment contract with the Jurmala city mayor was not renewed, on social integration issues in Latvia. Janis Kuzins believes that Latvia should ratify the Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities because it would make the status of minorities clearer and would reduce disagreement in society. Janis Kuzins also points to the necessity of the moratorium on the education reform, because the lack of qualified teachers and teaching aids is obvious.

Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with the leader of national-extremist organisation ‘Visu Latvijai! Raivis Dzintars about the necessity of Latvias decolonisation. Raivis Dzintars stresses that his organisation does not advocate for a forced deportation, but stand for ensuring a possibility to repatriate to all those non-citizens who want to leave Latvia. According to the leader of the organisation, there is also the necessity to establish a moratorium on naturalisation process, because thus disloyal Latvia non-citizens are able to naturalise and resultantly have an impact on national policy.