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.

• Growing Chinese interest for residence permits in Latvia
• U.S. Ambassador to Latvia Mark Pekala raises discussion on granting citizenship automatically at birth to children

Vesti Segodnya reports about the growing interest of the Chinese about the possibility to receive a residence permit in Latvia  by investing in real estate. According to a representative of a real estate company which has already sold some 40 real estate objects to the Chinese, their aim is a Schengen visa and closer exit to Russia’s and CIS countries’ market through opening companies and their branches in Latvia. In comparison with Russian citizens who buy expensive real estate mostly in Riga and Jurmala, the Chinese buy less expensive property in other Latvian regions.

Following the comment by the Council of Europe Commissioner for  Human Rights Nils Muiznieks about automatic granting of citizenship to children at birth, the U.S.. Ambassador to Latvia Mark Pekala in his Twitter account invited others to share their opinion about the issue. As reported earlier, Commissioner Muiznieks stated that states should grant citizenship automatically at birth to children born in their territory who would otherwise be stateless and not permit parents to choose an option that is clearly not in the child’s interest. Diena