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.

• Newspapers report about a conference Russian World in the Baltic States as a Factor for Co-operation and Development of the Society
• MP Ainars Slesers: all special assignments secretariats probably will be liquidated
• The Border Guard Service has detained a citizen of Azerbaijan illegally crossing Latvias-Russias border for second time

Newspapers

Newspapers report about a conference Russian World in the Baltic States as a Factor for Co-operation and Development of the Society held in Riga on 22 and 23 August. Members of Russian NGOs in Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia, Russias Ambassador to Latvia Aleksandr Veshnyakov and Russias officials took part in the conference. The Russias Ambassador has stated that Russian residents in Latvia should co-operate with Latvian state authorities for establishment of integrated society. The participants of the conference adopted a common resolution calling on Latvian government to grant Latvian non-citizens rights to vote and to stand as candidates in elections to the European Parliament and municipalities. Chas, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

The leader of the Latvia’s First Party/Latvia’s Way, MP Ainars Slesers in an interview with

The leader of the Latvias First Party/Latvias Way, MP Ainars Slesers in an interview with Telegraf has stated that special assignments secretariats including the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration probably will be liquidated from 1 January 2009. Functions of secretariats will be divided between various ministries.

Telegraf reports that the Border Guard Service has detained a citizen of Azerbaijan illegally crossing Latvias-Russias border for second time. According to detained citizen of Azerbaijan, he is forced to cross the border illegally in order to visit his wife, who is Latvian citizen. Representative of the Border Guard Service has stated that although the man is married to a Latvian citizen, he is included into the list of persons banned from entering Schengen area. After the reasons why he was denied Schengen visa will be clarified, the man could be granted so-called limited visa which would allow his stay only in Latvia.