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.

• Vesti Segodnya: draft amendments to the Law on Meetings, Demonstrations and Pickets to restrict the rights of Russians
• Minister of Education comments on the establishment of the working group dealing with the use of languages in private universities
• Latvian non-citizens interested in provisions of the EU directive on the status of EU permanent residents
• Boriss Tsilevich on the use of languages in the field of health care
• Alleged bribery of a Naturalisation Board staff
• About 40 people protest against Russophobia in Latvia

Vesti Segodnya comments on the draft law On Meetings, Demonstrations and Pickets passed at first reading by the Saeima yesterday. The draft amendments provide more restrictions in organising pickets and meetings. The newspaper states that the draft amendments were developed aiming at restriction of freedom of expression of Russians and their organisations.

Yesterday the Parliamentary group of the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia received the response by the Minister of Education Ina Druviete regarding the establishment of the working group aimed at development regulations on the use of the state language in private universities. The Minister notes that higher education should be multilingual and in EU countries private universities are under the same regulations as public universities are. She refers to examples of Hungary and the Netherlands.  

Yesterday the Parliamentary group of the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia received the response by the Minister of Education Ina Druviete regarding the establishment of the working group aimed at development regulations on the use of the state language in private universities. The Minister notes that higher education should be multilingual and in EU countries private universities are under the same regulations as public universities are. She refers to examples of Hungary and the Netherlands.

Chas prints a comprehensive article by MP Boris Tsilevich about the use of languages in the field of health care. He provides practices of other countries and concludes that the requirement that doctors should be proficient in Latvian is not disputable, however, Latvian legislation does not provide that doctors and nurses should speak also other languages, for instance, Russian, which is the native language of a big part of society.

Netakariga reports on the growing interest of Latvian non-citizens about the EU Directive 2003/109/EC on the status of EU permanent residents. Latvia has started transposition of the directive by drafting a new law on the status of EU permanent citizen and developing amendments to the Law on Immigration. According to the EU Directive as of 2006 Latvian non-citizens will acquire a new status – permanent resident of the EU. The officials of the Office of Migration and Citizenship Affairs and the Information Centre of the European Union claim that there is a growing number of people who want to know when the directive comes into force in Latvia and when they could travel to EU countries without visa. However, the officials stress that the status of a permanent EU resident will not be granted automatically, the applicant will have to demonstrate a intermediate state language skills.

The Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau detained a Naturalisation Board’s staff member for alleged bribery of LVL 1000 (about EUR 1,400). The official received the bribe for ensuring a successful result of naturalisation tests of an naturalisation applicant.

The Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau detained a Naturalisation Boards staff member for alleged bribery of LVL 1000 (about EUR 1,400). The official received the bribe for ensuring a successful result of naturalisation tests of an naturalisation applicant. Latvijas Avize, Telegraf

Yesterday about 40 members of radical Russian organisations picketed in the centre of Riga protesting against Russophobia and rebirth of Nazism. After an hour they headed to the Monument to Soviet Liberators where several hundred people celebrated the liberation of the capital Riga from Nazi.

Yesterday about 40 members of radical Russian organisations picketed in the centre of Riga protesting against Russophobia and rebirth of Nazism. After an hour they headed to the Monument to Soviet Liberators where several hundred people celebrated the liberation of the capital Riga from Nazi. Chas, Vesti Segodnya