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.

• FHRUL: local governments should have a right to use minority languages in communication with residents
• Comments on the case of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools activist Jurijs Petropavlovskis against state
• MP Aleksandrs Bartasevics asks to renew broadcasting of municipal election campaigns clips also in the Russian language
• Plans of the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Society Integration
• Interview with the representative of the UN International Organisation for Migration in Latvia Ilmars Mezs

Union For Human Rights in the United Latvia (FHRUL) proposed to grant local governments the right to use minority languages alongside with the Latvian language in communication with their residents. According to FHRUL, such rights should be granted to municipalities in which at least one fifth of residents belong to a respective minority. At present, municipalities can only use Latvian as a working language, as stipulated by the Law on Local Governments.

Union For Human Rights in the United Latvia (FHRUL) proposed to grant local governments the right to use minority languages alongside with the Latvian language in communication with their residents. According to FHRUL, such rights should be granted to municipalities in which at least one fifth of residents belong to a respective minority. At present, municipalities can only use Latvian as a working language, as stipulated by the Law on Local Governments. Rigas Balss, Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya comments on the case of Jurijs Petropavlovskis, activist of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools, against the Latvian state. According to the consultant of the European Parliaments Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance Miroslavs Mitrofanovs (FHRUL), governments refusal to grant citizenship to Petropavlovskis is indicative of ‘discrimination on political and ethnic grounds, as Jurijs Petropavlovskis as a representative of minority is protecting rights of a concrete ethnic group, and FHRUL plans to draw attention of the European institutions to this case.

MP Aleksandrs Bartasevics (People’s Harmony Party) sent a letter to the Special Assignments Minister for Society Integration Ainars Latkovskis asking for cooperation in providing broadcast of TV clips, explaining voting procedure during upcoming municipal elections, also in the Russian language. According to Bartasevics, Latvian legislation contains no direct prohibition on providing information on voting procedure in other languages.

MP Aleksandrs Bartasevics (Peoples Harmony Party) sent a letter to the Special Assignments Minister for Society Integration Ainars Latkovskis asking for cooperation in providing broadcast of TV clips, explaining voting procedure during upcoming municipal elections, also in the Russian language. According to Bartasevics, Latvian legislation contains no direct prohibition on providing information on voting procedure in other languages. Chas

Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Society Integration is planning to start three programmes directed towards social integration and development of civic society, support to the Latvian Diaspora and promotion of tolerance. According to the deputy director of the Secretariat’s Department of Ethnic Minority Affairs Denis Hanovs, Ls 30,000 have been allocated to the programme for tolerance promotion in society. The programme foresees media monitoring, as well as active involvement of youth and minority NGOs.

Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Society Integration is planning to start three programmes directed towards social integration and development of civic society, support to the Latvian Diaspora and promotion of tolerance. According to the deputy director of the Secretariats Department of Ethnic Minority Affairs Denis Hanovs, Ls30,000 have been allocated to the programme for tolerance promotion in society. The programme foresees media monitoring, as well as active involvement of youth and minority NGOs. Latvijas Avize

Latvijas Vestnesis prints an interview with the ethnologist and representative of the UN International Organisation for Migration in Latvia Ilmars Mezs about migration processes. Ilmars Mezs points to the necessity of developing national programme aimed at preventing problems related to labour force migration. The ethnologist also believes that Latvia would violate the basic principles of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities by applying it also to immigrants who had arrived in Latvia after the World War II. ‘Only Livs, Roma, Jews and Russians in their historical locations, for example Old believers in Latgale region, should be regarded as minorities in Latvia, believes Ilmars Mezs.