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.

• Number of naturalisation applications grows
• New head of the UNHCR Regional Office for the Nordic and Baltic Countries visits the refugee camp Mucinieki
• MPs discuss the call to the world leaders to ignore the celebration of the anniversary of the victory in World War II in Moscow on 9 May 2005
• Interview with the head of the Lebanon Education and Culture Club Hosams Abu Meri

Latvijas Avize reports that this year the number of naturalisation applications has grown and most likely it will continue to grow in 2005 as well. The increased number of people who apply for naturalisation can be explained with Latvias accession to the EU and NATO and wish of non-citizens to study and work in EU countries. Besides, naturalisation applicants are provided a possibility to learn the Latvian language free of charge. Approximately 3,200 non-citizens have attended the Latvian language courses free of charge this year. However, the deputy chairman of the Naturalisation Board Janis Kahanovics states that resources, allocated by the state and Society Integration Foundation for the implementation of courses, are exhausted and if a political decision is not taken, there will be no money to provide language courses in 2005. There are 462,000 non-citizens in Latvia now. During the last year the number of non-citizens has decreased by 20,000: a part naturalised, but the other – emigrated from Latvia.

The new head of the UNHCR Regional Office for the Nordic and Baltic Countries Mashiko Kondo visited the refugee camp “Mucinieki.” The refugee camp was opened 6 years ago and during this time it has received 200 people. The director of the Department on Refugee Affairs of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA) Baiba Bieza states that recently asylum seekers come predominantly from the CIS countries. In 2004 five persons applied for the status of refugee, however, after investigations, the OCMA took a decision on deportation of these persons to their home countries. Right now there are no asylum seekers in the camp. After the visit, the new head of the UNHCR Regional Office for the Nordic and Baltic Countries concluded that the camp corresponds to all international criteria.

The new head of the UNHCR Regional Office for the Nordic and Baltic Countries Mashiko Kondo visited the refugee camp Mucinieki. The refugee camp was opened 6 years ago and during this time it has received 200 people. The director of the Department on Refugee Affairs of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA) Baiba Bieza states that recently asylum seekers come predominantly from the CIS countries. In 2004 five persons applied for the status of refugee, however, after investigations, the OCMA took a decision on deportation of these persons to their home countries. Right now there are no asylum seekers in the camp. After the visit, the new head of the UNHCR Regional Office for the Nordic and Baltic Countries concluded that the camp corresponds to all international criteria. Vesti Segodnya

Russian-language newspapers continue discussions about the call of some members of the European Parliament to the leaders of the EU. In their call MPs invited the leaders to ignore the invitation of the President of Russia Vladimirs Putins to celebrate the anniversary of the victory in World War II in Moscow on 9 May 2005. The member of the European Parliament Tatjana Zdanoka believes that the true goal of the call is to distract attention of European politicians from real problems present in Latvia: mass non-citizenship and discrimination of minorities. The Head of the Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee Aleksandrs Kirsteins believes that the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga should participate in the event because recently Russia has taken some positive steps to improve relations between the states, for example, Russia supported the extension of the partnership agreement between Russia and the EU towards the new member states of the EU. The member of Saeima Boris Tsilevitch regards this call as an attempt to ruin Latvian Russian relations.

Russian-language newspapers continue discussions about the call of some members of the European Parliament to the leaders of the EU. In their call MPs invited the leaders to ignore the invitation of the President of Russia Vladimirs Putins to celebrate the anniversary of the victory in World War II in Moscow on 9 May 2005. The member of the European Parliament Tatjana Zdanoka believes that the true goal of the call is to distract attention of European politicians from real problems present in Latvia: mass non-citizenship and discrimination of minorities. The Head of the Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee Aleksandrs Kirsteins believes that the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga should participate in the event because recently Russia has taken some positive steps to improve relations between the states, for example, Russia supported the extension of the partnership agreement between Russia and the EU towards the new member states of the EU. The member of Saeima Boris Tsilevitch regards this call as an attempt to ruin Latvian Russian relations. Telegeraf features views of the Foreign Affairs Minister Artis Pabriks, who believes that the goal of the Vladimir Putins invitation is the internal division within the EU. Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Latvijas Avize features an interview with the doctor and the head of the Lebanon Education and Culture Club Hosams Abu Meri about the situation of his compatriots in Latvia. According to Hosams Abu Meri, 45 Lebanese are permanent residents of Latvia at the moment, while 15 Lebanese come to Latvia on regular basis to do business. All Lebanese, who live in Latvia permanently, speak Latvian. Hosams Abu Meri believes that some Russian-speakers have a negative attitude towards, because they do not share the common values of the state.