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.

• Telegraf reports that the Police are searching for a citizen of Pakistan who is missing with three of his children
• State Language Centre has fined an official of a municipal institution who has hired a worker with insufficient Latvian language proficiency
• NGO Dialogi.lv has called upon Latvian society to draw its attention to problems of refugees in the country
• Chas prints an article about integration policy in Latvia

Telegraf reports that the Police are searching for a citizen of Pakistan who is missing with three of his children. The Pakistani man is married to a Latvian woman and has lived in Latvia for about 10 years. However, the couple decided to divorce and the wife has appealed to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs asking to annul residence permit for her Pakistani husband. The man did not wait for the official decision in divorce case and the decision of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs and disappeared with three underage children.

Telegraf reports that the inspectors of the State Language Centre have imposed a fine of LVL 100 (EUR 142) on an official of a municipal institution who has hired a worker with insufficient Latvian language proficiency. The official did not check whether the potential employee has the state language certificate.

NGO “Dialogi.lv” has called upon Latvian society to draw its attention to problems of refugees in the country. Yesterday, journalists were invited to a meeting with an asylum seeker from Kenya – a woman who has arrived to Latvia with her 4 year-old child. The woman presently waits for court decision and resides in the centre for asylum seekers. The woman has told about problems she faces in Latvia such as lack of means of subsistence and inability to communicate with state institutions in Latvian language.

NGO Dialogi.lv has called upon Latvian society to draw its attention to problems of refugees in the country. Yesterday, journalists were invited to a meeting with an asylum seeker from Kenya – a woman who has arrived to Latvia with her 4 year-old child. The woman presently waits for court decision and resides in the centre for asylum seekers. The woman has told about problems she faces in Latvia such as lack of means of subsistence and inability to communicate with state institutions in Latvian language. Latvijas Avize, NRA

Chas prints an article about integration policy in Latvia. According to the article, Latvian society will become truly integrated only if multiculturalism becomes the basis for Latvian national policy. Author of the article believes that the most significant task for the government is to make sure that parties and non-governmental organisations in Latvia become multicultural.