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.

• Draft law: only loyal political parties should function in Latvia
• State Service of Education Quality suggests to dismiss the teacher Vladislavs Rafalskis
• Raivis Dzintars: state should not support distribution of Russian language periodicals

According to a draft law elaborated by the Registry of Enterprises, only loyal political parties should function in Latvia. The draft law initiated by the Minister of Justice Janis Bordans (nationalists’ union) after a party “For Native Language” was officially registered. The draft law stipulates that the parties during the registration process should be checked for compliance of their aims with Latvian legal acts. The evaluation of parties’ activities will be given by the Ministry of Justice which will take into account opinion of the special services and evaluate whether these activities do not threaten human rights, democracy, security and the welfare of society. Chas

The State Service of Education Quality (SSEQ) suggests to dismiss the teacher of Russian language school Vladislavs Rafalskis because his statements about disloyalty towards the state violate the Education Law. According to the SSEQ, the Education Law says that the teachers educate conscious, honest and responsible people – Latvian patriots. The ethics committee of the school where Mr Rafalskis is employed, in its turn, recommends to issue a written remark to the teacher. But the students of the school collected signatures against the teacher’s dismissal. Diena

According to the head of the nationalists’ union All for Latvia!-FF/LNIM Raivis Dzintars, the state should not support distribution of Russian language periodicals which discredit Latvian state. Mr Dzintars believes that his proposal should not be seen as discrimination because Latvian language is more discriminated language in the informative space comparing to foreign languages. At present, the state partly subsidizes distribution of all periodicals by the Latvian Post without discriminating the language of the periodicals. Diena