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.

• MEP Tatyana Zdanoka proposes to grant Latvian and Estonian non-citizens rights to travel within the EU without visas
• Latvijas Avize and Chas report on the court proceeding against Aleksandrs Gilmans held yesterday
• Latvijas Avize prints an interview with lawyer Didzis Smitins who defends Aivars Garda, Liga Muzikante and Ilze Liepa

Yesterday, member of the European Parliament from Latvia Tatyana Zdanoka and the Head of the Section on Visas and Borders of the EC  Directorate’s for Justice, Freedom and Security discussed draft amendments to the regalement of the EU visa regime proposed by Tatyana Zdanoka. According to the draft amendments non-citizens of Latvia and Estonia would not need visas to travel within the EU.

Yesterday, member of the European Parliament from Latvia Tatyana Zdanoka and the Head of the Section on Visas and Borders of the EC Directorates for Justice, Freedom and Security discussed draft amendments to the regalement of the EU visa regime proposed by Tatyana Zdanoka. According to the draft amendments non-citizens of Latvia and Estonia would not need visas to travel within the EU. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Latvijas Avize and Chas report on the revision of the Aleksandrs Gilmans case held yesterday. As reported, the activist of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools Aleksandrs Gilmans is charged for anti-governmental statements made on the internet forum of the Headquarters homepage. Experts of the State Language Centre have concluded that the Gilmans statements are clearly hostile, however, do not contain an open call to forcible overturn of the Latvian state authority. The court will announce its ruling tomorrow.

Latvijas Avize prints an interview with lawyer Didzis Smitins who defends leader of the extreme right-wing organisation Latvian National Front Aivars Garda and its members Liga Muzikante and Ilze Liepa who also publish the national radical newspaper DDD. As reported, the persons face charges for instigation of ethnic hatred in several articles published in DDD in 2004 and 2005. Didzis Smitins believes that articles do not contain any instigation of ethnic hatred and simply voices persons views