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.

• Politicians discuss clashes at the yesterdays procession in commemoration of legionnaires
• Council of the Latvian Jewish Parishes and Communities: authorise ‘procession of legionnaires was a mistake
• Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister of Russia Jurij Fedotov criticises the minority situation in Latvia and Estonia
• Chas discusses the ethnic aspects of voting in the municipal elections in Riga
• Director of the Centre of Analysis ‘Fond Rossii Tatyana Poloskova talks about the Russian electorate in Latvia
• Saeima repeatedly refuses a proposal of the Peoples Harmony Party to dismiss Aleksandrs Kirsteins from the post of the Head of Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee
• Integration expert Nils Muiznieks comments on the book ‘Ethnic and National Minorities in Europe. The History and Nowadays by ethnologist Leo Dribins

‘The Riga City Council acted irresponsibly when it authorised the procession in commemoration of Latvian WW II legionnaires’ stated the Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis. According to the Prime Minister, the municipality officials underestimated possible security risks and consequences of the procession. The Prime Minister added ‘the events clearly showed a desire of several right and left-wing political parties and groups to bring damage to state security, public order as well as state’s image.’ The Head of the Saeima National Security Committee Indulis Emsis announced that more serious clashes were planned by several organisations, but were prevented thanks to successful and appropriate measures taken by the State Security Police. Emsis believed that such processions should be prohibited by law. In the response to the statements of the Prime Minister, Riga City Council argued that the Law on Processions, Pickets and Meetings stipulates that a municipality has a right to refuse to issue authorisation to organise a procession/picket/meeting. However in this case, according to the representative of the Riga City Council Dzintars Zaluksnis, there were no legal grounds to refuse to issue the authorisation. While the organisers of the procession, the Club 415, submitted a claim to the Administrative District Court demanding the Riga City Council to pay them the compensation in the amount of LVL 100,000 because the Council refused to authorise a similar procession last year.

‘The Riga City Council acted irresponsibly when it authorised the procession in commemoration of Latvian WW II legionnaires stated the Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis. According to the Prime Minister, the municipality officials underestimated possible security risks and consequences of the procession. The Prime Minister added ‘the events clearly showed a desire of several right and left-wing political parties and groups to bring damage to state security, public order as well as states image. The Head of the Saeima National Security Committee Indulis Emsis announced that more serious clashes were planned by several organisations, but were prevented thanks to successful and appropriate measures taken by the State Security Police. Emsis believed that such processions should be prohibited by law. In the response to the statements of the Prime Minister, Riga City Council argued that the Law on Processions, Pickets and Meetings stipulates that a municipality has a right to refuse to issue authorisation to organise a procession/picket/meeting. However in this case, according to the representative of the Riga City Council Dzintars Zaluksnis, there were no legal grounds to refuse to issue the authorisation. While the organisers of the procession, the Club 415, submitted a claim to the Administrative District Court demanding the Riga City Council to pay them the compensation in the amount of LVL 100,000 because the Council refused to authorise a similar procession last year. Latvijas Avize reports on that the Russian mass media has printed many critical articles about the procession of the legionnaires, for instance, Vesti Segodnya writes that the events have shown that the government protects the rights of neo-fascists who hate Russians and had refused Russians a possibility to express their opinion. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Latvijas Avize, Rigas Balss, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

The Council of the Latvian Jewish Parishes and Communities has issued a statement regarding the procession in commemoration of Latvian WW II legionnaires. The Council states that the authorisation of the ‘procession of legionnaires’ was a mistake and calls the government prohibit such actions in the future as it creates negative Latvia’s image and reputation at the international level. The Council denied assumptions that the Jewish Community was involved in organising protest actions, which took place during the procession.

The Council of the Latvian Jewish Parishes and Communities has issued a statement regarding the procession in commemoration of Latvian WW II legionnaires. The Council states that the authorisation of the ‘procession of legionnaires was a mistake and calls the government prohibit such actions in the future as it creates negative Latvias image and reputation at the international level. The Council denied assumptions that the Jewish Community was involved in organising protest actions, which took place during the procession. Chas, Telegraf

The Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister of Russia Jurij Fedotov has sharply criticised the minority situation in Latvia and Estonia during the 61

The Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister of Russia Jurij Fedotov has sharply criticised the minority situation in Latvia and Estonia during the 61st session of the UN Commission on Human Rights. The Russian official has pointed to the mass non-citizenship as the main humanitarian problem in Latvia and Estonia. Fedotov also called Latvia to fulfil recommendations of international experts, such as granting non-citizens the right to vote in municipal elections, as soon as possible. Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Chas discusses ‘ethnic aspects of voting in the municipal elections in Riga. Journalist Anatolij Kamenev states that Russians voted for so-called Russian political parties without careful reading of their economic and social programmes and analysing their competences in municipal work.

Telegraf prints an article by the Director of the Centre of Analysis ‘Fond Rossii Tatyana Poloskova on the Russian electorate in Latvia. Referring to the results of monitoring, carried out by the Fond Rosii, Tatyana Poloskova states that some changes have been observed in the so called Russian electorate for last few years. The researcher believes that Russian diaspora in Latvia is a rather virtual notion and in fact it combines different social groups, which are integrated into society at different levels. Poloskova states that in majority cases young Russian people tend to identify themselves as Europeans, as well as representatives of a middle-class and Russian business. They are very interested in possibilities to implement their social roles, economic stability, prevention of xenophobia, good relations with Russia and integration in the European Union. Citizenship and the status of the Russian language in Latvia do not play an important role for them.

Yesterday Saeima repeatedly refused a proposal of the People’s Harmony Party to dismiss Aleksandrs Kirsteins from the post of the Head of Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee Aleksandrs Kirsteins (People’s Party). The party reproaches Aleksandrs Kirsteins for his recent statements to replace state integration policy with partial assimilation or repatriation of ethnic non-Latvians.

Yesterday Saeima repeatedly refused a proposal of the Peoples Harmony Party to dismiss Aleksandrs Kirsteins from the post of the Head of Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee Aleksandrs Kirsteins (Peoples Party). The party reproaches Aleksandrs Kirsteins for his recent statements to replace state integration policy with partial assimilation or repatriation of ethnic non-Latvians. Neatkariga Rita Avize, Latvijas Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Diena prints a review of the dr.polit. Nils Muiznieks on the book ‘Ethnic and National Minorities in Europe. The History and Nowadays by ethnologist Leo Dribins. The book provides a review of minority situation in Europe in historical perspective as well as discusses the society integration policy of Latvia from 1998 to 2003. The book is published by the Institute of Sociology and Philosophy of the University of Latvia.