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.

• Constitutional Court: law On the Status of Former USSR Citizens Who are not Citizens of Latvia or Any Other State contradict the Constitution of Latvia
• Human rights experts call the police to act decisively in finding and punishing attackers of a dark-skinned Indian
• FHRULs parliamentary group prepares a draft law On Ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
• United Congress of the Russian Community in Latvia advertises for political parties
• Chas publishes excerpts from essays of minority schools teachers about education reform

The Constitutional Court partly satisfied a claim of twenty left-wing MPs for recognition of several norms of the law On the Status of Former USSR Citizens Who are not Citizens of Latvia or Any Other State as contradicting the Constitution of Latvia. The court recognised that Article 1, Paragraph 5 of the law contradicts Article 98 of the Constitution of Latvia. Article 1 of the law stipulates that it does not apply to ‘persons who after July 1, 1992, without a limitation of term, registered (recorded) place of residence within partner countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, or have received a permanent residence permit in a foreign country’. Article 98 of the Constitution guarantees everyone having a Latvian passport protection by the State when abroad and the right to freely return to Latvia. The court also ruled that the norm of the law stipulating that ‘persons who received a residence permit in another country after 1 May 2004 can be deprived of their non-citizen status in Latvia’ contradicts the Constitution of Latvia. Both norms should be recognised invalid as from 1 September 2005. The court also recognised that ‘non-citizens’ do not belong to any category of persons established by the international law. Representative of the People’s Harmony Party Janis Urbanovics believes that the court’s judgement presents a first step towards granting of Latvian citizenship by registration to all permanent residents of Latvia. The judgement of the court can not be appealed.

The Constitutional Court partly satisfied a claim of twenty left-wing MPs for recognition of several norms of the law On the Status of Former USSR Citizens Who are not Citizens of Latvia or Any Other State as contradicting the Constitution of Latvia. The court recognised that Article 1, Paragraph 5 of the law contradicts Article 98 of the Constitution of Latvia. Article 1 of the law stipulates that it does not apply to ‘persons who after July 1, 1992, without a limitation of term, registered (recorded) place of residence within partner countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, or have received a permanent residence permit in a foreign country. Article 98 of the Constitution guarantees everyone having a Latvian passport protection by the State when abroad and the right to freely return to Latvia. The court also ruled that the norm of the law stipulating that ‘persons who received a residence permit in another country after 1 May 2004 can be deprived of their non-citizen status in Latvia contradicts the Constitution of Latvia. Both norms should be recognised invalid as from 1 September 2005. The court also recognised that ‘non-citizens do not belong to any category of persons established by the international law. Representative of the Peoples Harmony Party Janis Urbanovics believes that the courts judgement presents a first step towards granting of Latvian citizenship by registration to all permanent residents of Latvia. The judgement of the court can not be appealed. Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Telegraf

Human rights experts called to the police to act decisively in finding and punishing attackers of the dark-skinned Indian Arvinder Singh in order to demonstrate that every resident of Latvia is protected by the police, irrespective of his country of origin. As attackers did not rob the victim, it is believed to be a racially motivated assault. A press secretary of the State Police Aigars Berzins acknowledges that the attack was most likely accomplished by skinheads, who are known for their intolerant attitude towards foreigners, and who are already under the State Security Police’s observation. The newspaper criticises the police for not organising additional patrols in the vicinity of the department store ‘Centrs’ in the Old Riga, where informal youth groups usually gather, and where the attack took place. ‘Police’s level of understanding of how to deal with such crimes is very low, as they have no experience of racially motivated attacks’, - comments researcher and former Special Assignments Minister for Society Integration Nils Muiznieks.

Human rights experts called to the police to act decisively in finding and punishing attackers of the dark-skinned Indian Arvinder Singh in order to demonstrate that every resident of Latvia is protected by the police, irrespective of his country of origin. As attackers did not rob the victim, it is believed to be a racially motivated assault. A press secretary of the State Police Aigars Berzins acknowledges that the attack was most likely accomplished by skinheads, who are known for their intolerant attitude towards foreigners, and who are already under the State Security Polices observation. The newspaper criticises the police for not organising additional patrols in the vicinity of the department store ‘Centrs in the Old Riga, where informal youth groups usually gather, and where the attack took place. ‘Polices level of understanding of how to deal with such crimes is very low, as they have no experience of racially motivated attacks, - comments researcher and former Special Assignments Minister for Society Integration Nils Muiznieks. Diena

Parliamentary group For Human Rights in the United Latvia prepared a draft law on ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. The draft will be reviewed by Saeima this Thursday.

Parliamentary group For Human Rights in the United Latvia prepared a draft law on ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. The draft will be reviewed by Saeima this Thursday. Chas

Newspapers report on the press conference of the United Congress of the Russian Community in Latvia (OKROL in Russian) dedicated to the forthcoming municipal elections. During the press conference, representatives of the United Congress called public to vote for the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia, the People’s Party, and the New Centre. According to the head of OKROL Mihails Tjasins, voters should take into account parties’ attitudes towards implementation of the education reform, and language and citizenship issues. The OKROL also spread a statement calling to grant voting rights for non-citizens at municipal elections.

Newspapers report on the press conference of the United Congress of the Russian Community in Latvia (OKROL in Russian) dedicated to the forthcoming municipal elections. During the press conference, representatives of the United Congress called public to vote for the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia, the Peoples Party, and the New Centre. According to the head of OKROL Mihails Tjasins, voters should take into account parties attitudes towards implementation of the education reform, and language and citizenship issues. The OKROL also spread a statement calling to grant voting rights for non-citizens at municipal elections. Latvijas Avize, Chas

Chas publishes excerpts from essays of minority schools teachers about minority education reform. Aleksejs Vasiljevs, teacher from Daugavpils, believes that the state violates the Constitution of Latvia by implementing the education reform. Teacher of Riga Secondary School No.22 Natalja Skestere evaluates the reform as a crime against minority students, while Svetlana Kudrjavceva points to the difficulties of bilingual teaching.