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.

• Vesti Segodnya: EU will ask Latvia to reduce the number of non-citizens
• Newspapers continue discussions about asking compensations from Russia for damages brought by the Soviet regime in Latvia
• Interview with the chairman of the Association of Russian Organisations in Latvia Mihails Gavrilovs about Russians in Latvia
• Latvijas Avize reports on the brochure ‘Ethnocentrism: Latvian version
• European Human Rights Network will provide training for young people in human rights
• Telegraf features an interview with the Estonian Minister of Education and Research Toivo Maimets

Newspapers report on the visit of José Manuel Barroso, President designate of the European Commission, to Latvia.

Newspapers report on the visit of José Manuel Barroso, President designate of the European Commission, to Latvia. Vesti Segodnya writes that José Manuel Barroso will meet with the Latvian Prime Minister Indulis Emsis and will discuss a number of issues concerning Latvias forthcoming accession to the Schengen zone. As reported by Vesti Segodnya, the big number of non-citizens will be one of the main topics of their discussions. The newspaper reports that officials of the European Commission are developing requirements for 10 new member states. Latvia will be asked to reduce the number of people with ‘unclear status before its joining to the Schengen zone. The member of the European Parliament Tatjana Zdanoka confirms the information and believes that the ‘zero citizenship option or serious promotion of naturalisation procedure are the only possible solutions to the situation.

Newspapers continue discussion about a possibility to ask Russia to compensate damages brought by the Soviet regime in Latvia.

Newspapers continue discussion about a possibility to ask Russia to compensate damages brought by the Soviet regime in Latvia. Diena prints an article by the Professor of International Law Ineta Ziemele about international legal mechanisms which Latvia could use in the process. Ineta Ziemele notes that in Europe there is a lack of detailed information and juridical analyses about repressions against residents of the Baltic States in the political circulation. Hence any discussions or activities regarding demands towards Russia should be started with defining illegitimacy of occupation and presenting such evidences, which are recognised by international law. Rigas Balss prints a statements of historians. Majority of them support the opinion of the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga that people should apply to international courts to ask compensation from Russia for their forced labour in the Soviet regime. Historian Henriks Strods stresses that it is very difficult to collect all necessary documents, because a part of them are in Moscow and their content is confidential. Diena, Rigas Balss

Latvijas Avize features an interview with the Chairman of the Association of Russian Organisations in Latvia Mihails Gavrilovs. The organisation is an umbrella organisation for 23 Russian cultural organisations. Mihails Gavrilovs states that his organisation is boycotted from the part of the Russian-language press, Headquarters and so-called Russian community because his organisations views differ from their views. The main difference is that Gavrilovs organisation is for Russians and not Russian-speakers. He believes that Russians have completely different mentality in comparison to Russian –speakers, who are Soviet people and not interested either in their ethnic roots or Russian culture. Mihails Gavrilovs also believes that material interests prevail in the Russian-speaker community.

Latvijas Avize reports on the brochure, written by the historian and the board member of the United Congress of the Russian Community in Latvia Viktors Guscins ‘Ethnocentrism: Latvian version. The author does not recognise Latvias occupation and says that speculations with this term are ‘massive propaganda thesis, which brings problems in the area of social integration. According to Viktors Guscins, the regime of Latvia has developed legislation, which goal is not only the prohibition for non-Latvians to participate in state administration on equal grounds, but also their forcible assimilations. The author stresses that the previous ethnic policy ‘has led the state to the crisis in the ethnic relationships (…), to the edge behind which bloody ethnic conflict becomes real. The policy creates objective conditions for transformation of the existing two-community society into a two-community (…) state (…). Viktors Guscins states that the formation of a democratic regime in Latvia is possible if only institute of non-citizens is discontinued.

The European Human Rights Network is planning to implement a project

The European Human Rights Network is planning to implement a project Report on Human Rights, the goal of which is to provide training to 20 young people in human rights and develop their skills in journalism, public relations and organisation of public events. Neatkariga Rita Avize

Telegraf features an interview with the Estonian Minister of Education and Research Toivo Maimets about the forthcoming implementation of the education reform in Estonia. According to Toivo Maimets, the education reform of Estonia differs from the Latvian education reform because Estonian legislation does not stipulate the exact date when the reform should be completed. Besides, Estonian legislation also stipulates a possibility for parents, students, teachers or municipality to apply to the government and ask a permit to study in non-Estonian.