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.

• Saeima adopts amendments to the Law on Radio and Television
• Chairman of the Latvian Association of National Cultural Organisations Rafi Haradzanjan comments on the implementation of the education reform
• Organisations representing Russias compatriots in the Baltic States adopt a resolution on the situation of Russian-speakers in these countries
• State Security Police will examine articles published by the national-radical newspaper DDD
• Interview with the political scientist, Director of the Globalisation Institute Boris Kagarlitsky

Saeima adopted amendments to the Law on Radio and Television Law. The new provisions foresee that the Cabinet of Ministers has the right to set specific provisions concerning the usage of the language of broadcasting if the usage of the state language is endangered or restricted in the territory of a respective broadcaster. The Programme Director of the private TV Channel

Saeima adopted amendments to the Law on Radio and Television Law. The new provisions foresee that the Cabinet of Ministers has the right to set specific provisions concerning the usage of the language of broadcasting if the usage of the state language is endangered or restricted in the territory of a respective broadcaster. The Programme Director of the private TV Channel TV5 Gunta Lidaka believes that new provisions provide a possibility to restrict the usage of minority languages in TV and radio programmes on very vague basis. The member of Saeima Andrejs Klementjevs (Peoples Harmony Party) is convinced that the new provisions will result in political pressure on private broadcasters. Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Telegraf

Latvijas Avize reprints fragments of the interview of the Chairman of the Latvian Association of National Cultural Organisations Rafi Haradzanjan, published by the Estonian Russian-language newspaper ‘Molodjozh Estonii (Youth of Estonia). When asked to comment on the implementation of the education reform in Latvia, Rafi Haradzanjan states that although many parents perceive the reform as a problem, children will only benefit from it. Rafi Haradzanjan notes that the world is changing and in this situation a person should speak three, four or five languages. The chairman also believes that the education reform does not imply any assimilation threats, because the mass media, books, concerts are easy accessible and available in Latvia. Regarding ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in Latvia, Rafi Haradzanjan states that the majority of society in Latvia is not ready for ratification.

Organisations representing Russia’s compatriots in the Baltic States adopted a resolution addressed to the parliaments and governments of Latvia and Estonia in their conference in Tallin. The organisation calls on the governments to adopt overall legal norms prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of race, language, religion, gender and ethnicity. The resolution also includes a call to ratify the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities without reservations.

Organisations representing Russias compatriots in the Baltic States adopted a resolution addressed to the parliaments and governments of Latvia and Estonia in their conference in Tallin. The organisation calls on the governments to adopt overall legal norms prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of race, language, religion, gender and ethnicity. The resolution also includes a call to ratify the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities without reservations. Chas

The Prosecutor General Office has asked the State Security Police to examine articles published by the national-radical newspaper

The Prosecutor General Office has asked the State Security Police to examine articles published by the national-radical newspaper DDD and provide a conclusion whether these articles incite national hatred. In October the Parliamentary Secretary of the Secretariat of the Minister for Special Assignments for Society Integration Aleksandrs Brandavs asked the Prosecutor General Office to evaluate these articles as according to Aleksandrs Brandavs they contain anti-Semitic statements. Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Telegraf

Latvijas Avize features an interview with Russias political scientist and Director of the Globalisation Institute Boris Kagarlitsky about relationships between Russia and Latvia. Political scientist believes that in fact Russian politicians are not very interested in finding solutions to problems of Russian-speakers in Latvia and that they are only ‘playing for public. ‘Russia is not a serious threat for Latvia. The activities, currently undertaken by Moscow are fictive and formal actions. their goal is to raise tensions in Russias domestic affairs, believes Boris Kagarlitsky.