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.

• Neatkariga questions why the MPs do not give clear definition of loyalty, and instead are taking on individual citizens
• Vesti Segodnya: 21 years ago the vast majority of ethnic non-Latvians were deprived of civil rights and declared “aliens”

 

Editorial in Neatkariga draws attention to the fact that some Saeima’s commissions spent their time on evaluation of personal cases of individual citizens; in the meantime, such treatment may be arbitrary, because the MPs do not formulate clear legal definition of loyalty. The editorial compares the practice to the Soviet-era discussions of personal affairs of citizens at the meetings of trade unions or Communist party units at factories. The editorial highlights the lack of legitimacy of the state institutions: according to the research conducted by SKDS, the trust level is “minus 59%” for the Saeima and “minus 44%” for the Government. The editorial points out that the loyalty of silent citizens is not questioned and asks if stealing from the state (corruption) or transferring the state sovereignty to outside structures without proper consultation with the people is also a sign of loyalty.

 

Vesti Segodnya publishes an article about the developments which resulted in deprivation of the vast majority of ethnic non-Latvians of civil rights. The newspaper cites 1989 Programme of Latvia People’s Front (LPF), which envisaged citizenship for all those permanent residents, who express their will to be Latvian citizens. LPF received majority of votes in March 1990 parliamentary elections and the Parliament adopted Independence Declaration in May 1990. On 15 October 1991, LPF MPs voted for the decision on restoration of the pre-war citizenship rights and on naturalisation, thus depriving most ethnic non-Latvians of their rights. According to the author of the article, the recent statement by Mr. Rafalskis about the political regime is determined by the fact that it should not be based upon lies. The author argues that the way forward is to correct the 21-years-old big lie by offering Latvian citizenships to all non-citizens.