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.

• Minister of Culture Sarmite Elerte proposes to hold a discussion about the usage of state and foreign languages by the President and the Prime Minister
• Riga Latvian Society commission supports the draft integration programme elaborated by the Ministry of Culture
• Ex-MP Vaira Paegle: position of the Latvian language must be additionally strengthened in the Constitution
• Newspapers: citizens of Russian and other the CIS countries actively seeking information about the residency permit in Latvia
• Interview with academic Sergejs Kruks about integration problems in Latvia

After the meeting with the President of Latvia Andris Berzins, the Minister of Culture Sarmite Elerte called for a serious discussion about the usage of state and foreign languages by the country’s President and the Prime Minister. As reported, Minister Elerte disagreed with the statement by the President that language is only a tool of communication and that he can speak Russian to Russian speaking residents in  events where the usage of the state language is not mandatory.

After the meeting with the President of Latvia Andris Berzins, the Minister of Culture Sarmite Elerte called for a serious discussion about the usage of state and foreign languages by the countrys President and the Prime Minister. As reported, Minister Elerte disagreed with the statement by the President that language is only a tool of communication and that he can speak Russian to Russian speaking residents in events where the usage of the state language is not mandatory. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

The National Identity Commission of the Riga Latvian Society supports the draft integration programme elaborated by the Ministry of Culture. However, it believes that all residents who arrived in Latvia during the Soviet times are colonists and cannot be considered immigrants.

The National Identity Commission of the Riga Latvian Society supports the draft integration programme elaborated by the Ministry of Culture. However, it believes that all residents who arrived in Latvia during the Soviet times are colonists and cannot be considered immigrants. Vesti Segodnya

Ex-MP Vaira Paegle  in an interview with

Ex-MP Vaira Paegle in an interview with Latvijas Avize states that the position of the Latvian language must be additionally strengthened in the Constitution and that ethnic Latvians must cease speaking Russian with Russian speaking residents in order to preserve the state language. (V.Paegle returned back to the USA after failing to gain a seat in the parliamentary elections in autumn 2010.)

According to the newspapers, citizens of Russia and other CIS countries are actively seeking information about the possibility to receive residency permit in Latvia.  About 1,000 foreign citizens have received residency permits in Latvia since the amendments on granting  permits to large financial investors and owners of expensive real estate became effective on 1 July 2010. The foreigners mostly get interested in buying exclusive apartments in the seaside resort town Jurmala, capital Riga, and along the sea coast..

According to the newspapers, citizens of Russia and other CIS countries are actively seeking information about the possibility to receive residency permit in Latvia. About 1,000 foreign citizens have received residency permits in Latvia since the amendments on granting permits to large financial investors and owners of expensive real estate became effective on 1 July 2010. The foreigners mostly get interested in buying exclusive apartments in the seaside resort town Jurmala, capital Riga, and along the sea coast.. Chas, Telegraf

Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with academic Sergejs Kruks about integration problems in Latvia. Mr Kruks believes that the criteria of integration and loyalty in Latvia change too frequently as according to him the system does not want to accept non-Latvians anyway. Mr Kruks (being a non-citizen himself and not willing to undergo naturalisation procedure for principal reasons) believes that the problem of the large number of non-citizens in the country can be solved only by granting automatic citizenship to all Latvias non-citizens.