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.

• Russian-language newspapers write about the revision of the minority education reform by the Constitutional Court today
• Vesti Segodnya claims that a high official of the Ministry of Education has been transferred to a post to another ministry because of his doubts regarding the implementation of the education reform
• Interview with the Minister of Culture
• Interview about the situation of the Russian literature in Latvia

Chas asks the member of Saeima Boris Tsilevich (the Peoples Harmony Party) to comment on the revision of the minority education reform by the Constitutional Court today. The MP states that the implementation of the minority education reform does not observe the interests of children and is an open violation of their rights: children whose mother tongue is not Latvian receive public education of much lower quality. Boris Tsilevich assures that they have a number of evidences, experts conclusions and cases, which proves that the quality of education has worsened since the implementation of the reform. The newspaper also prints arguments of lawyer Jelizaveta Krivcova, who argues that the implementation of the reform shows that there is no democracy in Latvia.

Vesti Segodnya reports that Zigfrids Grinpauks, Head of the Public Education Inspectorate, has been transferred to the Ministry of Defence. The newspaper claims that the Education Minister Ina Druviete issued a decree of the transfer of Grinpauks because he expressed his doubts about the implementation of the minority education reform just after the implementation of the reform was launched.

Latvijas Avize interviews the Minister of Culture Helena Demakova. When asked about the support of the Ministry for cultural activities of Latvias minorities, the Minister states that the Ministry of Culture has a special programme for the support of cultural activities of minorities. The Minister admits that the funding allotted for this programme is smaller than funding at the disposal of the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration and the Society Integration Foundation. However, Helena Demakova notes that ‘life of minorities is very active. She strictly denies a possibility that Russians who live in Latvia could develop specific culture, which would differ from the culture of Russians living in Russia. Helena Demakova admits that she is disappointed in some EU processes, for instance, the EU broadcasting policy. The Minister is very dissatisfied that according to EU norms it is possible that the broadcast station from the United Kingdom airs its programmes to Latvia only in Russian. Helena Demakova expresses determination to achieve amendments in the EU broadcast policy so that a country, which receives broadcast, may determine its compliance with national norms.

Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with writer Nikolaj Gudanc about the situation of the Russian literature in Latvia. The writer admits that the number of people who read in Russian is decreasing.