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.

• Co-chairman of the Latvian Anti-Fascists’ Committee: Latvia is typical failed state which reminds of a cancer

Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with the co-chairman of the Latvian Anti-Fascists’ Committee, activist of the Congress of Non-citizens Eduards Goncarovs. According to Mr Goncarovs he is a convinced non-citizen and sees the existing Latvian government as a “neo-Nazi nightmare.” He alleges the ideology of modern Latvia was shaped by those who departed from Latvia in 1945 together with departing Fascists and their descendants, who were raised in hatred towards ethnic Russians. Mr Goncarovs states that Latvia is typical failed state which reminds of a cancer which consumes the resources yet is not able to ensure development of the country. He believes it is in the best interests of Latvia that non-citizens accept Latvian citizenship, because this would rectify the historic mistake and restore the stolen rights. Mr Goncarovs sees nothing extreme or illegitimate in their demands and maintains that these demands are in line with European norms and do not violate the rights of other people in Latvia, such as grant Russian language status of a state language in Latvia, ensure Russian children the right to study in native language, and grant Latvian citizenship to Latvian non-citizens willing to accept it. He points out that Latvia ignore international recommendations to grant voting rights in municipal elections to Latvian non-citizens and claims that the authorities are only trying to fulfil recommendations when people in Latvia are making mass-scale protests.