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.

• Ministry of Education and Science will conduct a discussion about transition of all pre-school education into Latvian language
• Vesti Segodnya interviews lecturer Andrejs Berdnikovs
• Psychologist: activity of residents around the referendum is caused by fear of changes by ethnic Latvians

The council of cooperation of coalition’s parties asked the Ministry of Education and Science to conduct a discussion between the experts and parents about transition of all pre-school education into Latvian language. As reported, such draft amendments were proposed by the nationalists’ union All for Latvia!/FF-LNIM. The Minister of Education Roberts Kilis expressed his caution about the proposals arguing that for such changes there should be several preconditions – specially prepared stuff of kindergartens and attitude of families. The Minister believes it is important to evaluate whether the initiative would promote or hinder the children’s development.

The council of cooperation of coalitions parties asked the Ministry of Education and Science to conduct a discussion between the experts and parents about transition of all pre-school education into Latvian language. As reported, such draft amendments were proposed by the nationalists union All for Latvia!/FF-LNIM. The Minister of Education Roberts Kilis expressed his caution about the proposals arguing that for such changes there should be several preconditions – specially prepared stuff of kindergartens and attitude of families. The Minister believes it is important to evaluate whether the initiative would promote or hinder the childrens development. Chas, Diena

Vesti Segodnya interviews the lecturer of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Latvia, ex-advisor of the Minister of Culture on integration issues Andrejs Berdnikovs. Mr Berdnikovs believes that ethnic Latvians and Russian speakers should cooperate in order to promote the integration process, however, it is not easy to find common issues which would gain support of both parties. Mr Berdnikovs believes that such cooperation could be established trough discussion on citizenship issues. Mr Berdnikovs considers that position of ethnic Latvians regarding widening rights for non-citizens or even granting citizenship automatically to non-citizens is not so strict as in the language issues and the dialogue in this area is possible.

A psychologist Nikolajs Serbakovs interviewed by

A psychologist Nikolajs Serbakovs interviewed by Telegraf believes that high activity of Latvian residents around the referendum on the status of Russian language in Latvia is caused by fear of changes by ethnic Latvians. The psychologist believes that the there are no ethnic tensions on daily level because people find a common language when necessary. However, the problem arises on ideological level as part of the residents including the elite of society has emotional problems which block communication and dialogue.