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.

• Government conceptually supported a proposal to restore a voluntary record of person’s ethnic affiliation in passports

• Chas interviews a researcher Dace Akule about society consolidation issues

The government conceptually supported a proposal to restore a voluntary record of person’s ethnic affiliation in passports. As reported, authors of the proposal are MPs from the nationalists union All for Latvia!-FF-LNIM who believe such record strengthens national identity of ethnic Latvians. The proposal was recently refused by the Saeima; however, the proposal was submitted again and passed for the consideration in parliamentary committees. The government ordered the Ministry of Interior to elaborate amendments to the law on personal identification documents by 1 February 2013. Neatkariga, Chas

Chas prints an interview with a researcher of the Centre for public Policy “Providus” Dace Akule about society consolidation issues. According to Ms Akule, Latvian society has always been diverse and it is not possible to make it homogenous suddenly. The society consolidation can be achieved only by searching compromise decisions because all the decision in the diverse society should be flexible.