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.

• Latvian government cautious towards the call of the Baltic Assembly to launch negotiations with Russia and Germany about compensations brought by occupations
• Discussions on the latest statements of the Russian Ambassador to Latvia Viktor Kaluznij
• Candidacy of the Deputy State Secretary of the Latvian Foreign Affairs Ministry Andis Teikmanis for the post of Latvian Ambassador to Russia under discussions
• Discussions on the role of the Latvian language in social integration
• Administrative Regional Court reduces a fine imposed for organisation of the unapproved protest action against the education reform
• NGO United Congress of the Russian Community in Latvia starts official registration of its members

The Latvian government is cautious about the call the Baltic Assembly to launch negotiations with Russia and Germany about compensations for losses brought by Soviet and German occupations. The Latvian government believes that several other key issues, for example signing of the border agreement with Russia, should be solved before Latvia asks for compensation. The Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis doubts whether such claims would have any results and believes that it would be more important if Russia recognises the occupation of Latvia. Historians, interviewed by

The Latvian government is cautious about the call the Baltic Assembly to launch negotiations with Russia and Germany about compensations for losses brought by Soviet and German occupations. The Latvian government believes that several other key issues, for example signing of the border agreement with Russia, should be solved before Latvia asks for compensation. The Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis doubts whether such claims would have any results and believes that it would be more important if Russia recognises the occupation of Latvia. Historians, interviewed by Diena, support the stance of the Prime Minister. Diena, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Dienas columnist Aivars Ozolins criticizes the attitude of the Latvian government towards the latest statements of the Russian Ambassador to Latvia Viktor Kaluznij. Integration experts and representatives of the Jewish community believe that these statements were anti-Semitic: the Ambassador said that Russia should not apologise to Latvia for the Soviet occupation because ‘what should the Russian people be blamed for? The KGB was headed by Pole Dzerzinskis; out of 44 members of the War Council 38 were Jews, 4 Latvians and only one was a Russian. In the opinion of Ozolins the Latvian government is too tolerant to the Kaluznijs statements and in other countries such statements would have led to international scandal. While Viktor Kaluznij in the interview with the newspaper Latvijas Avize expressed his incomprehension about the discussion regarding his statements. He stressed that he ‘has nothing in common with anti-Semitism and he only ‘provided statistical information and nothing else. The Ambassador once again stressed that Russia will not apologise to Latvia, because the majority of Russian citizens were not even born then and there was no state called Russia. Viktor Kaluznij, however, reproaches Latvia for imposing the language of instruction in minority schools and Latvias requirements which provide that even senior non-citizens have to learn Latvian to acquire Latvian citizenship. Diena, Latvijas Avize

Referring to unofficial sources of information,

Referring to unofficial sources of information, Vesti Segodnya reports that the Deputy State Secretary of the Foreign Affairs Ministry Andis Teikmanis is nominated for the post of the Latvian Ambassador to Russia.

Latvijas Avize features a discussion among Norwegian Rihard Berug, German Matiass Knoll and Georgian Mariam Koberidze about the role of the Latvian language in social integration. All participants agree that in Latvia there are many people, including the service sector, who do not speak Latvian at all. Rihard Berug argues that in order to strengthen the role of Latvian in society a positive attitude towards the Latvian language should be developed. Rihard Berug believes that the policy of the Russian Federation does not foster development of a positive attitude towards the Latvian language and Latvia.

The Administrative Regional Court reduced the amount of a fine from LVL 100 (EUR 144) to LVL 50 (EUR 72) imposed on the activist of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools and the deputy of Riga City Council Aleksandrs Gilmans for the organisation of the unapproved protest action against the education reform.

The Administrative Regional Court reduced the amount of a fine from LVL100 (EUR 144) to LVL50 (EUR 72) imposed on the activist of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools and the deputy of Riga City Council Aleksandrs Gilmans for the organisation of the unapproved protest action against the education reform. Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya

Yesterday representatives of the NGO United Congress of the Russian Community in Latvia started official registration of its members. According to a representative of the NGO, more than 50,000 people have expressed readiness to join this organisation.

Yesterday representatives of the NGO United Congress of the Russian Community in Latvia started official registration of its members. According to a representative of the NGO, more than 50,000 people have expressed readiness to join this organisation. Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Telegraf