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.

• European Union has promised Russia to hear out its complaints about the situation of Russian-speakers in Latvia and Estonia
• Parliamentary Secretary of the Special Tasks Ministers for Social Integration Secretariat Aleksandrs Brandavs calls the Prosecutor General Office to evaluate articles published by the national-radical newspaper DDD
• Article about the study of the Head of the Human Rights Institute of the University of Latvia Arturs Kucs ‘Boundaries of the Freedom of Speech: Defamation and Injuring of Dignity, Incitement of Hatred
• Jakovs Pliners may sue those minority schools, which have produced false statements about their readiness to implement the education reform
• Members of the European Parliament from union For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM have met the prospective Commissioner for Freedom, Security and Justice Rocco Buttiglione
• 452 persons became citizens of Latvia yesterday
• Articles on good practice in the area of the implementation of the education reform

The European Union Presidency has promised Russia to continue to hear out its complaints about the situation of Russian-speakers in Latvia and Estonia and discuss these issues during the forthcoming meeting of EU member states’ leaders in November, however, avoided giving any promises to take any steps. ‘We have come to an agreement that if Russia is concerned about the situation, it should be discussed. We will discuss these issues with our partners – Latvia and Estonia,’ stated the Foreign Affairs Minister of Netherlands Bernard Bot after the meeting with the Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov. At the same time Bernard Bot has assured that all EU member states live in accordance with the Copenhagen criteria and observe human rights. The EU has also reminded Russia that it should sign boarder agreements with Latvia and Estonia.

The European Union Presidency has promised Russia to continue to hear out its complaints about the situation of Russian-speakers in Latvia and Estonia and discuss these issues during the forthcoming meeting of EU member states leaders in November, however, avoided giving any promises to take any steps. ‘We have come to an agreement that if Russia is concerned about the situation, it should be discussed. We will discuss these issues with our partners – Latvia and Estonia, stated the Foreign Affairs Minister of Netherlands Bernard Bot after the meeting with the Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov. At the same time Bernard Bot has assured that all EU member states live in accordance with the Copenhagen criteria and observe human rights. The EU has also reminded Russia that it should sign boarder agreements with Latvia and Estonia. Diena

The Parliamentary Secretary of the Special Tasks Minister’s for Social Integration Secretariat Aleksandrs Brandavs has asked the Prosecutor General Office of Latvia to evaluate articles published by the national-radical newspaper

The Parliamentary Secretary of the Special Tasks Ministers for Social Integration Secretariat Aleksandrs Brandavs has asked the Prosecutor General Office of Latvia to evaluate articles published by the national-radical newspaper DDD as he believes that some of these articles contain anti-Semitic statements. Telegraf

Diena and public policy portal www.politika.lv reports on the study of the Head of the Human Rights Institute of the University of Latvia Arturs Kucs ‘Boundaries of the Freedom of Speech: Defamation and Injuring of Dignity, Incitement of Hatred. One of the conclusions of the study is that cases of incitement of national hatred is not initiated at all or are closed because Latvian Criminal Law stipulates that it should be proved that a person has incited national hatred intentionally. He believes that criminal charges should be pressed against a person also in the cases when statements inciting national hatred have consequences in society. The author of the study also believes that these issues may also be dealt with in Latvian Civil Law. For full text of the study in Latvian see here.

The Head of the Parliamentary Group of For Human Rights in the United Latvia Jakovs Pliners

The Head of the Parliamentary Group ofFor Human Rights in the United Latvia Jakovs Pliners considers a possibility to apply with court challenging those minority schools, which have declared that they are ready to implement the education reform, but in fact are not able to provide qualitative education. The Head of Parliamentary Group refers to the results of the unitary exams which according to Jakovs Pliners show that more than a half of minority elementary school students have passed final exams with grades ranging from 1 to 6 out of 10. According to Jakovs Pliners, the results witness crisis in educational system and confirm that Latvian language proficiency of minority students is not sufficient to study any subject in Latvian. Latvijas Avize, Chas, Telegraf

Members of the European Parliament from union For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM met the prospective Commissioner for Freedom, Security and Justice Rocco Buttiglione to clarify his statements regarding the situation of Latvian non-citizens and provide Rocco Buttiglione information about naturalisation procedures in Latvia. According to the member of the European Parliament Inese Vaidere, after the meeting Rocco Buttiglione has admitted that naturalisation procedure in Latvia is very liberal. The prospective commissioner has also regretted that his statements have caused misunderstandings.

Members of the European Parliament from union For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM met the prospective Commissioner for Freedom, Security and Justice Rocco Buttiglione to clarify his statements regarding the situation of Latvian non-citizens and provide Rocco Buttiglione information about naturalisation procedures in Latvia. According to the member of the European Parliament Inese Vaidere, after the meeting Rocco Buttiglione has admitted that naturalisation procedure in Latvia is very liberal. The prospective commissioner has also regretted that his statements have caused misunderstandings. Latvijas Avize

Yesterday 452 persons, among them 56 children, became citizens of Latvia. Out of 396 persons 69% were Russians, 12% - Ukrainians, 11% - Belorussians as well as Lithuanians, Poles and representatives of other nationalities.

Yesterday 452 persons, among them 56 children, became citizens of Latvia. Out of 396 persons 69% were Russians, 12% - Ukrainians, 11% - Belorussians as well as Lithuanians, Poles and representatives of other nationalities. Neatkariga Rita Avize

Latvijas Avize features articles about the transition to studies mainly in the Latvian language in two minority schools – Riga Ukrainian Secondary School and Riga Zolitude Gymnasium. The Director of the Riga Ukrainian Secondary School Lidija Kravcenko states that, when the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus asked students whether they have any problems in the field of integration, students replied that they do not have any negative experiences. The Director of the Riga Zolitude Gymnasium Svetlana Semenko stresses that the school provides two packages of the text books (in the native language and in Latvian) already for students of the primary school. While the teacher of mathematics Olga Seremeta is convinced that if students want to succeed in secondary school, they have to get used to study in Latvian already from the first grade.