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.

• Newspapers report about 16 March events in Riga
• Latvijas Avize prints an article about naturalisation process

Newspapers report about 16 March - unofficial commemoration day of Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires – events in Riga. The events began early in the morning when a youth organisation “Let’s Play” (“Paspelesimies”- in Latvian) informed the public about the importance of the 16 March and than nationalists’ organisation “Hawks of Daugava” (“Daugavas Vanagi” in Latvian) held a picket. Later, representatives of “anti-fascists” organisations laid flowers to the Monument of Freedom commemorating victims of WWII.  Near the Monument the “anti-fascists” also deployed big posters with photos of concentration camp prisoners and shooting of civilians by Nazi. After that, former legionnaires and their supporters (mostly young and middle aged persons) held a traditional procession through the city centre to the Monument of Freedom with an aim to lay the flowers. The procession was headed by the MPs of the nationalists’ union All for Latvia!-FF/LNIM Raivis Dzintars, Janis Dombrava, Imants Paradnieks, Dzintars Rasnacs, and others. At the moment when the procession approached the Monument, the anti-fascists turned on alarm loudly, followed by a Soviet-era memorial song “Buchenwald Alarm.” After that, the anti-fascists named Nazi crimes through megaphone. Such actions provoked the participants of the procession, including the MPs, who tried to attack the “anti-fascists” and their installations. As a result, the special security forces had to interfere to stop the short fight. After the events, the nationalists’ union requested the dismissal of the Minister of Interior for inability of the police to maintain the public order. During the events the police detained four persons. In total, about 3,000 took part in the events on 16 March. Diena, Neatkariga, Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya

Latvijas Avize prints an article about the naturalisation process and why do people choose to become Latvian citizens. According to the head of the Naturalisation Board Igors Gorbunovs, usually non-citizens choose to become Latvian citizens not because of the sense of patriotism but due to rational reasons, considering the benefits of this status – such as citizenship of the EU, voting rights, rights for employment in other EU countries.