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.

• Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities could enter into force in October
• Chas features a commentary of Eduard Eldarov on the visit of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus to Latvia
• The boards of two political parties oriented towards the Russian-speaking voters agree to consolidate
• Representative of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre Efraim Zuroff sharply criticises attempts to rehabilitate Herberts Cukurs
• Implementation of the minority education reform in Riga Secondary School Nr. 74
• Latvijas Avize reports on the preparation of amendments to the citizenship law

According to a representative of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Latvia the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, recently ratified by Saeima, could enter into force in Latvia in October.

According to a representative of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Latvia the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, recently ratified by Saeima, could enter into force in Latvia in October. Neatkariga Rita Avize

Chas features a commentary of Eduard Eldarov on the visit of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus to Latvia. The journalist foresees that in future the High Commissioner will pay particular attention to the implementation of the principles of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in Latvia as well as the extension of non-citizens rights. The journalist also suggests that the High Commissioner also pay attention to issues of rights to free association and assembly in Latvia, pointing to the states aspirations to strengthen the legislation in this area thus ‘strengthening also the pressure on the Russian-speaking opposition. According to the journalist, during the first six months of this year already 140 persons participating at protest meetings were detained and 40 of them were held accountable for administrative violations, compared to last year, when over the 12 months 40 persons were detained and 14 were found in breech of administrative provisions.

The boards of two political parties oriented towards the Russian-speaking voters – the New Centre and the People’s Harmony Party – have approved plans to merge into one political union.

The boards of two political parties oriented towards the Russian-speaking voters – the New Centre and the Peoples Harmony Party – have approved plans to merge into one political union. Diena, Latvijas Avize, Chas, Telegraf

Diena prints an article by the representative of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre Efraim Zuroff, in which he sharply criticises the attempts by radical nationalist groupings in Latvia to rehabilitate Herberts Cukurs as a Latvian hero and famous pilot, although it has been documented that he participated in the Holocaust during World War II. Zuroff stresses that testimonies about the participation of Cukurs in crimes against humanity are available in the archives of Israel.

Vesti Segodnya prints an article about the implementation of the minority education reform in Riga Secondary School Nr. 74. Students of grade 10, interviewed by the newspaper, point to difficulties in learning humanitarian as well as science subjects in Latvian. The director of the school Irina Frolova states that the amount of work for teachers and students has doubled over the last school year due to the implementation of the reform. According to her, there would not be problems in the area of implementation of the minority education reform if the minority schools were allowed to teach 10th grade students bilingually.

Latvijas Avize reports that the amendments to the Law on Citizenship, which are being prepared under the auspices of the Justice Ministry, with the participation of the Head of Naturalization Department and representatives of various state institutions, may be ready for presentation to the Justice Minister on 20 June. The newspaper also features the opinions of a translator and citizen of Germany living in Latvia Matias Knoll and the journalist, citizen both of the USA and Latvia Karlis Streips. Matias Knoll believes that many persons applying for Latvian citizenship now have a very weak sense of belonging to the state and many are motivated to naturalize only by the advantages provided to Latvian citizens in the EU. Karlis Streips that preventing the naturalisation of non-citizens should not be on the agenda as ‘there is no reason to believe that yesterdays non-citizens tomorrow will run to vote for Alfreds Rubiks [the leader of Latvias Socialist Party]. Referring to the case of Jurijs Petropavlosvkis, who was denied citizenship despite having fulfilled all legally defined requirements for naturalization, the journalist also points to the necessity to provide a legal basis for denying citizenship by possibly defining in the law which persons are prohibited to get Latvian citizenship.