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.

• Dzintars Rasnacs comments on pre-election promises of political union of All For Latvia! and For Fatherland and Freedom / LMIN
• Aivis Ronis: majority of Latvias people have the same values, similar world views and common responsibility for the future

Neatkariga Rita Avize (NRA) interviewed Dzintars Rasnacs, Secretary of the Saeima and board member of For Fatherland and Freedom / LMIN about the pre-election promises of right wing political union of All For Latvia! and For Fatherland and Freedom / LMIN. The union promised to abolish preferences for investors envisaged in the Immigration Law and, while the unemployment rate is high, to strictly limit immigration of third-country nationals. Mr. Rasnacs believes that Latvia is the only state of the Schengen Agreement which does not have the fundamental basis of a nation state – mandatory education system in the state language. Therefore, the union promises to amend legislation, making it mandatory for the state-funded education to be in the state language only. Mr.Rasnacs also stated that the Citizenship Law should envisage more simple way to withdraw Latvian citizenship. Latvia should recognize dual citizenship with EU and NATO countries and Australia, which would encourage the return of ethnic Latvians from exile.

In an interview with

In an interview with Telegraf Aivis Ronis, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, has stated that Latvian political elite sees the changes in dynamics of relations between Russia and the USA, EU and NATO and is ripe ready for changes. According to Mr.Ronis, Latvia is united with Russians by a thousand years of history and mutual interests, while being member of the EU and NATO, Latvia is closely consulting with its allies. Mr. Ronis also stated that majority of Latvias people, citizens and non-citizens alike, - have the same values, similar world views and common responsibility for the future of the state. In the meantime, integration policy should be more effective and to be implemented in the interests of the countrys security, while issues of citizenship and participation of non-citizens in municipal elections are internal affair of Latvia and should not be raised in the context of relations between Latvia and Russia.