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.

• Members of a political party “For Native Language” established an association “Russian Dawn”
• Nationalists demand “Lattelecom” to remove Russian channels from available TV packages
• NGO “Shelter. Safe House” will provide language courses for third country nationals
• Governing coalition cannot agree who will control the Minister of Education

Members of a political party “For Native Language” Illarions Girs and Jevgenijs Osipovs have established an association “Russian Dawn.” In official statement it is said that the establishers of the association are initiators of the referendum on granting Russian language status of state language in Latvia which was conducted in February 2012. Among the aims of the “Russian Dawn” there are such issues as granting Latvian citizenship to non-citizens; strengthening in ethnic Russian residents sense of belonging to Russian world; strengthening of bonds between ethnic Russians in Latvia and Russia; strengthening of Russian language and culture and increase of importance of Russian language in Latvia and in the EU. The “Russian Dawn” also planned to fight against Russophobia and honouring Latvian Waffen SS legionnaires and to protect those who fought against Nazis and monuments established in their memory. Diena

Vesti Segodnya reports that the biggest telecommunications company with state share capital “Lattelecom” received number of claims from Latvian nationalists asking to remove Russian channels from available TV packages and replace those with the EU channels. “Lattelecom”, in its turn, explained that Russian channels have big demand among its clients, while, demand for channels of other EU countries is low.

NGO “Shelter. Safe House” launched a project aimed at integration and education of third country nationals. In the framework of the project, it is planned to conduct Latvian language courses in different Latvian regions. Vesti Segodnya

Newspapers report about the process of establishment of the governing coalition and distribution of ministries among parties. At the moment, it is unclear which party will overtake the post of Minister of Education as the Union of Greens and Farmers refused to put its representative on this post. The nationalists’ union All for Latvia!/FF-LNIM, on its own initiative, would like to control the Ministry of Education with the condition that the government coalition agrees to transfer education in all state funded schools into Latvian language only. However, none of the coalition partners supported such proposal yet. Vesti Segodnya, Diena, Latvijas Avize.