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.

• Latvian politicians comment ethnic tensions in France
• Ultra-radicals accuse the President of Latvia of anti-Latvian stance
• The former Minister of Interior: Latvia must defend itself from radical Islam organizations
• A leader of Latvian national bolshevics warns on a new protest action
• Alfreds Rubiks speaks on possible outcomes of parliamentary elections

Chas asks several representatives of political parties whether they consider that conflicts similar to the recent events in France can happen in Latvia. According to Valerijs Agesins (the Harmony Centre), the French events are signals for Latvian politicians that they should implement a democratic minority-related policy. Vjaceslavs Stepanenko (the Latvias First Party) and Augusts Brigmanis (the Union of Greens and Farmers) dont consider this issue topical in Latvia yet while Andris Berzins (the Latvias Way) exclude a possibility of such events in Latvia since ethnic tensions exist primarily at the political level. Jurijs Sokolovskis (FHRUL) says that Latvia is at the initial stage of such events and similar incidents are possible approximately in five years. Chas

On the web site

On the web site www.latvians.lv, two of the ultra-national groupings Helsinki-86 ex-activists Linard Grantins and Raimonds Bitinieks have published the statements accusing the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga of not defending ethnic Latvians and persecuting the journalists of the newspaper DDD and the activists of the Latvian National Front allegedly being concerned with the destiny of Latvian nation. Vesti Segodnya

In an interview to

In an interview to Latvijas Avize, the former Minister of Interior Eriks Jekabsons has stated that Latvias society must defend itself from radical Islam organizations which might appear in Latvia in future. According to Eriks Jekabsons, several representatives of these radical organizations have already visited Latvia with a view to possible establishing of their departments.

 Yesterday one of the Latvian national bolshevics’ leaders Benes Ayo has come to

Yesterday one of the Latvian national bolshevics leaders Benes Ayo has come to Chas editorial office and informed on his planed protest action in order to get a support in his court proceeding. Benes Ayo is charged for the call to overturn the political system of Latvia.

In an interview to

In an interview to Telegraf, the leader of the Latvian Socialist Party Alfreds Rubiks assumes that the party Harmony Centre might get 50% of votes in the forthcoming Saeima elections. According to Alfreds Rubiks, the voters will not support Latvian and Russian nationalistic parties anymore.