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.

• Ruling coalition discusses reduction of referendum opportunities
• Diena writes about an unwritten agreement between the leaders of the Concord Centre and AL!FF/LNIM regarding sensitive dates

Following the referendum of the status of Russian language, the ruling coalition discusses proposals to change the relevant legal framework, reducing opportunities for referendums in Latvia. The “Unity” proposes that registered initiators of gathering signatures for a legislative proposal will have to collect 150,000 (or no less than 1/10 of the voters) for the support of the proposal. The radical nationalist union “All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM” (AL!FF/LNIM) proposes to amend the Constitution, determining that the issue of extending citizenship rights cannot be brought to a referendum.

Following the referendum of the status of Russian language, the ruling coalition discusses proposals to change the relevant legal framework, reducing opportunities for referendums in Latvia. The Unity proposes that registered initiators of gathering signatures for a legislative proposal will have to collect 150,000 (or no less than 1/10 of the voters) for the support of the proposal. The radical nationalist union All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM (AL!FF/LNIM) proposes to amend the Constitution, determining that the issue of extending citizenship rights cannot be brought to a referendum. Chas

Diena writes about an unwritten agreement between the leaders of the Concord Centre and AL!FF/LNIM regarding sensitive dates. The leader of AL!FF/LNIM Raivis Dzintars stated that the supporters of the Concord Centre did not prevent participants of the 16 March events from commemorating fallen soldiers and laying flowers to the Freedom Monument and the rhetoric of the Concord Centre was sufficiently correct. The leader of the Concord Centre Nils Usakovs explained that everyone is interested in reducing confrontation in the society, and different views about the tragic pages of Latvian history should not become a reason to drive the society crazy. According to the newspaper, the two leaders have an unwritten minimum agreement about tolerance towards people who lay flowers in commemoration on the sensitive days. Another leader of the Concord Centre Janis Urbanovics is not aware of any personal agreements and he emphasised that the Concord Centre has always maintained a neutral position towards the 16 March. Mr. Urbanovics believes that ethnic controversies are stimulated by the ruling circles, in order to distract attention of the people from social and economic problems.