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.

• Saeima supported 15-fold increase of the number of signatures required for initiation of the national referendum
• Chas interviews the MP, linguist Ina Druviete

Yesterday, the majority of the Saeima supported draft amendments stipulating 15-fold increase of the number of signatures required for initiation of the national referendum. According to the supported amendments, until 2015, it is required to collect at least 30,000 of signatures for support of an initiative during the first stage of referendum. Then the Central Elections Committee will initiate state funded collection of signatures. However, after 2015, the two-stage system of initiation of referendum will be cancelled and the initiators of a referendum will have to collect 10% of the voter’s signatures (about 154,000) on their own. If the required amount of signatures is collected, the Central Election Committee will initiate the national referendum. The draft amendments now have to be proclaimed by the President of Latvia Andris Berzins who already returned the draft amendments for repeated revision back to the Saeima twice. The oppositional parties are planning to turn to the President asking not to proclaim the draft amendments as those significantly limit democratic participation of citizens. According to effective legal norms, it is required to collect at least 10,000 of signatures during the first stage. Telegraf, Chas, Diena, Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya, Neatkariga

According to the MP, linguist Ina Druviete, every Latvian resident has to perceive Latvian language as a value and take part in its preservation. Mrs Druviete also stresses that ethnic minority languages are also a value and ethnic Latvians should take care preserving those. At the same time, Mrs Druviete believes presence of Russian language in informative space in Latvia is proportionally too big. Therefore she supports the legal regulation limiting usage of foreign languages in official communication or provision of information by state institutions. Chas