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.

 

 

• Candidate for the Riga City Council in the up-coming elections Aleksandrs Kirsteins proposes preferential tax breaks for enterprises which use Latvian names
• Saeima’s Legal Committee worries that some unknown forces hinder the adoption of the draft amendments to the Citizenship Law

Latvijas Avize interviews a member of the nationalists’ union All for Latvia!-FF/LNIM, candidate for the Riga City Council in the up-coming elections Aleksandrs Kirsteins. Mr Kirsteins considers ethnic minorities as foreigners or refugees who should be assimilated by switching minority-language kindergartens into Latvian language only. Mr Kirsteins is disturbed by the visual information in languages other than Latvian (such as "Sony centre" or "Ad Gustum") and proposes preferential tax breaks on real estate for enterprises which use Latvian names. He believes this would show who are the masters here and what are their values. Mr Kirsteins also wants to remove the Monument to the Liberators of Riga from the Nazi Invaders from the city alleging it is a symbol of occupation, but while the Monument is still there to place an exhibition by it telling about consequences of occupation of Latvia by the USSR.

Latvijas Avize reports that the MPs, members of the Saeima’s Legal Committee worry that some unknown forces hinder the adoption of the draft amendments to the Citizenship Law by spreading false information about it. According to representatives of the Committee it has received some critical remarks from different associations and institutions about the draft law from which it is clear that there is misunderstanding about the draft amendments. In particular, there is some misunderstanding about who will be allowed to have dual citizenship with Latvia, as well as about the procedure of registering children of non-citizens as Latvian citizens.