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.

• Rolf Ekeus: the rights, applied to the minorities permanently living in the state, in most cases should also be applied to so-called new minorities or immigrants
• Ambassador of Russia to Latvia Viktor Kaluznij expresses concern about the reservations made to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
• Opinion poll about the implementation of minority education reform
• Latvijas Avize prints an article about the human rights problems highlighted in the Annual Report Human Rights in Latvia in 2004 by the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies
• Saeima Defence and Internal Affairs Committee reviews the amendments to the Immigration Law
• An interview with Sergei Markov, member of the Council on Civil Society Development and Human Rights attached to the President of Russia and the director of the Institute for Political Studies

‘The rights, applied to the minorities permanently living in the state, in most cases should also be applied to the so-called new minorities or immigrants,’ stated the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus during his meeting with the representatives of the Saeima Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee. The High Commissioner also stressed the necessity to grant the Latvian citizenship automatically to children, born in the non-citizens’ families. According to

‘The rights, applied to the minorities permanently living in the state, in most cases should also be applied to the so-called new minorities or immigrants, stated the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus during his meeting with the representatives of the Saeima Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee. The High Commissioner also stressed the necessity to grant the Latvian citizenship automatically to children, born in the non-citizens families. According to Vesti Segodnya, Ekeus has pointed to the necessity to involve minority representatives in the political decision-making process concerning national minorities, mentioning the inclusion of minority representatives in the working group preparing amendments to the Citizenship Law as one of the examples of such involvement. Diena informs that Ekeus has also had a meeting with the Ambassador of Russia to Latvia Viktor Kaluznij. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya, Chas

Ambassador of Russia to Latvia Viktor Kaluznij has expressed concern about the reservations made by Latvia to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, which, according to the ambassador, will squeeze out the Russian language from public sphere.

Ambassador of Russia to Latvia Viktor Kaluznij has expressed concern about the reservations made by Latvia to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, which, according to the ambassador, will squeeze out the Russian language from public sphere. Chas

The opinion poll, conducted by the Education State Inspection, indicates that the implementation of the minority education reform is generally passing successfully. At the same time the inspection points to several problems in this area, among them, poor Latvian language proficiency of teachers and the negative attitude of students and their parents towards the reform. According to the poll, 20% of 9th grade students and 30% of 10th grade students believe that they do not need to study in Latvian to be able to continue their studies or to get a good job. Only 30% of the 9th grade students have stated that they are ready to study in Latvian. According to the assessment by minority school directors the Latvian language proficiency of teachers is poor. According to the information of the inspection, 70% of teachers have good Latvian language proficiency, while 25% can communicate in Latvian only about the themes of their subject. At the same time, 50% of 10th grade students believe that the Latvian language proficiency of their teachers is good.

The opinion poll, conducted by the Education State Inspection, indicates that the implementation of the minority education reform is generally passing successfully. At the same time the inspection points to several problems in this area, among them, poor Latvian language proficiency of teachers and the negative attitude of students and their parents towards the reform. According to the poll, 20% of 9th grade students and 30% of 10th grade students believe that they do not need to study in Latvian to be able to continue their studies or to get a good job. Only 30% of the 9th grade students have stated that they are ready to study in Latvian. According to the assessment by minority school directors the Latvian language proficiency of teachers is poor. According to the information of the inspection, 70% of teachers have good Latvian language proficiency, while 25% can communicate in Latvian only about the themes of their subject. At the same time, 50% of 10th grade students believe that the Latvian language proficiency of their teachers is good. Chas

Latvijas Avize prints an article about the human rights problems, highlighted in the Annual Report Human Rights in Latvia in 2004 by the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies. The newspaper voices a critical attitude towards concerns raised by the Centres director Ilze Brands Kehris regarding freedom of association and peaceful assembly association, including meetings of Members of Parliament with the electorate. Brands Kehris questions whether there is a tendency by the legislator to amend legislation in response to one event without giving consideration whether the move will not restrict fundamental freedoms. In turn, the newspaper implicitly justifies aspirations of the legislator stressing that the discussion on the need to restrict the possibilities to organise public meetings evolved when ‘the defenders of Russian-language schools circumvented the legislation and organised scandalous provocations near the Monument of Freedom on 16 March and 4 May. Brands Kehris also criticises the refusal by the Latvian government to grant Jurijs Petropavlovskis Latvian citizenship, evaluating this decision as a precedent when the executive power has interfered with the administrative process. When commenting on positive aspects of the integration process, Brands Kehris mentions the increasing number of naturalised persons.

Yesterday Saeima Defence and Internal Affairs Committee started to repeatedly review the amendments to the Immigration Law. As reported, the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga returned the amendments to the Immigration Law to Saeima. The amendments stipulated that foreigners who apply for permanent residence permits in Latvia should submit a declaration of loyalty towards Latvia and promise to respect the Latvian culture and traditions as well as pass a Latvian language proficiency exam. The Ministry of Justice now proposes to soften the declaration stipulating that immigrants should only promise to learn Latvian language. The ministry also suggests including a provision in the law that the state provides a possibility for foreigners to acquire Latvian language, traditions and culture.

Yesterday Saeima Defence and Internal Affairs Committee started to repeatedly review the amendments to the Immigration Law. As reported, the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga returned the amendments to the Immigration Law to Saeima. The amendments stipulated that foreigners who apply for permanent residence permits in Latvia should submit a declaration of loyalty towards Latvia and promise to respect the Latvian culture and traditions as well as pass a Latvian language proficiency exam. The Ministry of Justice now proposes to soften the declaration stipulating that immigrants should only promise to learn Latvian language. The ministry also suggests including a provision in the law that the state provides a possibility for foreigners to acquire Latvian language, traditions and culture. Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with Sergei Markov, the member of the Council on Civil Society Development and Human Rights at the President of Russia and the director of the Institute for Political Studies. Markov sharply criticises the society integration policy of Latvia evaluating it as a ‘cultural genocide against the Russian-speakers. According to Markov, the rights of Russian-speakers to use their language as well as to receive quality education in their mother tongue and to participate in political and public life of the society are being breached. Markov believes that the reservations made by the Latvian government to the Framework Convention for the protection of National Minorities are the culmination of the genocide, because the non-citizens as well as naturalised persons, who have not resided in Latvia for several generations, are excluded from minority definition. According to Sergei Markov, at present he and his colleagues are planning to establish a Council for the Protection of Russian-Speakers in Latvia to change the public opinion of Russians and Europeans regarding the society integration policy in Latvia.