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.

• Ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities becomes a discussion subject in negotiations about the formation of a new government
• Interview with the chairperson of the FF/LNIM and Saeima Vice-speaker Janis Straume
• Ministry of Education and Science reports on a successful implementation of the education reform
• FHRUL states that Latvian authorities implement repressive methods towards opponents of the education reform
• National radical organisation will run for municipal election together with FHRUL
• Round-table discussions on the Holocaust and expressions of anti-Semitism took place in Riga

For Freedom and Fatherland/LNIM stated that the party will not take part in such a government, which will includ a point on ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection  of National Minorities in the governmental declaration. The Chairperson of the FF/LNIM Janis Straume thinks that ratification of the Convention will be brought up in discussions between the President and parties concerning the formation of a new government. According to interviews with representatives of other political parties, the New Era does not see grounds for supporting ratification. The People’s Party and the Union of the Greens and Farmers avoid giving explicit answers on their stance towards the Convention, while the Latvian First Party has expressed its support for ratification.

For Freedom and Fatherland/LNIM stated that the party will not take part in such a government, which will includ a point on ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities inthe governmentaldeclaration. The Chairperson of the FF/LNIM Janis Straume thinks that ratification of the Convention will be brought up in discussions between the President and parties concerning the formation of a new government. According to interviews with representatives of other political parties, the New Era does not see grounds for supporting ratification. The Peoples Party and the Union of the Greens and Farmers avoid giving explicit answers on their stance towards the Convention, while the Latvian First Party has expressed its support for ratification. Diena, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Latvijas Avize interviews the chairperson of the FF/LNIM and Saeima Vice-speaker Janis Straume. He declares that the Convention should not be ratified and ‘we will not exchange our position for the place in the government. When asked to comment on the implementation of the education reform, Janis Straumes says that there is no need to adopt a new law concerning minority education. He also notes that there was no violence on 1 September thanks to, first, security police and, second, the Saeima Protection Bureau. Janis Straume promises to defend ‘national issues if his party is in the government. He names the New Era and the Peoples Party as FF/NIMs allies in this field. Chas

According to the report of the Ministry of Education and Science submitted to the government, the situation at minority schools is good and all issues are solved on professional level.

According to the report of the Ministry of Education and Science submitted to the government, the situation at minority schools is good and all issues are solved on professional level. Telegraf

The union For Human Rights in the United Latvia adopted a statement, which says that the Latvian authorities implement repressive methods towards opponents of the education reform. The authors of the statement report that the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian Schools in Latvia conducts a continuous monitoring of the implementation of the reform at schools and it is already possible to draw the following conclusions: ‘studies have turned into farce because the majority of time teachers spend translating and explaining Latvian terms and there is an obvious sharp decrease of the level of knowledge, lost interest towards studies, psychological trauma for students.’

The union For Human Rights in the United Latvia adopted a statement, which says that the Latvian authorities implement repressive methods towards opponents of the education reform. The authors of the statement report that the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian Schools in Latvia conducts a continuous monitoring of the implementation of the reform at schools and it is already possible to draw the following conclusions: ‘studies have turned into farce because the majority of time teachers spend translating and explaining Latvian terms and there is an obvious sharp decrease of the level of knowledge, lost interest towards studies, psychological trauma for students. Chas

The Latvian National Democratic Part, which has organised a number of unauthorised meetings and is related with the illegal movement ‘Russian National Unity,’ plans to run for local elections in Liepaja together with the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia. The FHRUL does not deny a possibility to co-operate with the LNDP because, according to FHRUL, the leader of LNDP Jevgenijs Osipovs has given up his radical and anti-semitic views. However, the Minister of the Secretariat for Special Assignments for Society Integration Nils Muiznieks, who have followed Osipovs’ activities, believes that attempts of extremists to come to power with legitimate methods are dangerous.

The Latvian National Democratic Part, which has organised a number of unauthorised meetings and is related with the illegal movement ‘Russian National Unity, plans to run for local elections in Liepaja together with the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia. The FHRUL does not deny a possibility to co-operate with the LNDP because, according to FHRUL, the leader of LNDP Jevgenijs Osipovs has given up his radical and anti-semitic views. However, the Minister of the Secretariat for Special Assignments for Society Integration Nils Muiznieks, who have followed Osipovs activities, believes that attempts of extremists to come to power with legitimate methods are dangerous. Diena

The round-table discussions devoted to the Holocaust and expressions of anti-Semitism took place in Riga. The conference was organised by Yad Vashem and the agency ‘Sohnut.’ Participants of the conference discussed reasons for new expressions of anti-Semitism. 

The round-table discussions devoted to the Holocaust and expressions of anti-Semitism took place in Riga. The conference was organised by Yad Vashem and the agency ‘Sohnut. Participants of the conference discussed reasons for new expressions of anti-Semitism. Vesti Segodnya