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.

• Vaira Vike-Freiberga: a potential influx of guest workers poses threat to the survival of Latvians
• President of the NGO Russian Community in Latvia suggests 10 steps how to solve the Russian issue in Latvia
• Tatyana Zhdanok: the status of the EU permanent resident is a cheap alternative for Latvian non-citizens

In an interview with the daily

In an interview with the daily NRA (04.01.2006) the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga stated that a possible influx of guest workers to Latvia poses threats to survival of the Latvian nation. It already was very difficult to achieve balance between the number of Latvian and non-Latvians in Riga… If a large number of immigrants comes to Latvia, chances for the Latvian nation to survive are rather minimal, said the President. Chas

Chas prints 10 steps how to deal with the ‘Russian issue in Latvia in five years suggested by the president of the NGO Russian Community in Latvia. The president of the NGO suggests the following measures: declare Orthodox Christmas a national holiday; provide an opportunity to address state institutions in Russian in both verbal and written forms; grant Latvian citizenship to all permanent residents of Latvia; establish a TV channel in the national television which would air only in Russian; declare the Russian language a second official language; ensure proportional representation of Russian deputies in all state institutions according to the number of Russian residents; grant the post of vice-premier to a representative of Russians; form a government where ministers representing the Russians would be presented according to the proportion of Russian residents in the country; implement double Latvian-Russian citizenship. Chas

The member of the European Parliament from the political party For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL) Tatyana Zhdanok considers that the draft law on the status of the EU permanent resident accepted by the Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia “a cheap alternative for Latvian non-citizens instead of full-fledged citizenship.” She believes that receiving the status people will not have motivation to acquire Latvian citizenship.

The member of the European Parliament from the political party For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL) Tatyana Zhdanok considers that the draft law on the status of the EU permanent resident accepted by the Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia a cheap alternative for Latvian non-citizens instead of full-fledged citizenship. She believes that receiving the status people will not have motivation to acquire Latvian citizenship. Chas