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.

• The Ombudsman Juris Jansons: the majority of national minority school directors do not understand why the education system in which the students more or less learn Latvian language should be changed
• The Mayor of Riga Nils Usakovs: governing coalition plays the ethnic card to draw attention away from important social economic problems
• The Mayor of Ventspils Aivars Lembergs does not support transfer of education in national minority schools into Latvian language only
• Prominent figures are ready to support the protests
• Miroslavs Mitrofanovs: it is important to improve education quality
• The most popular parties in January were the Concord Centre, the Unity, the Union of Greens and Framers and the nationalists’ union All for Latvia!/FF-LNIM

 Latvijas Avize reports about a meeting of the Ombudsman Juris Jansonswith directors of national minority schools. The aim of the meeting was to discuss the directors’ opinion on how to solve problems which the Ombudsman believes exist in the bilingual education system. The discussion with directors was conducted behind the closed doors so that they feel free to express their opinion. According to the Ombudsman, the majority of the school directors do not understand why the education system in which the students more or less learn Latvian language should be changed. The Ombudsman also said that directors have different opinion on how language proportion in schools should be increased – whether to increase proportion of the state language or of native language. Two of the directors stated that Russian children should study in schools only in Russian. The directors also criticized the fact that the idea to conduct language reform in national minority schools was announced before asking the opinion of the school directors. The Ombudsman and the directors also discussed what problem the schools face. The directors mentioned that there is a lack of good quality education materials, there are disproportional requirements for Latvian language proficiency at exams instead of requirement for analytical skills, and that in order to improve state language proficiency and teach in a class where children have different levels of state language proficiency, teachers need better motivation, which also requires more state funding. According to the Ombudsman, it was concluded that state language proficiency of national minorities has improved, however, there should be additional actions in order to draw together ethnic Latvians and minorities.

 Vesti Segodnya publishes opinion of the Mayor of Riga Nils Usakovs regarding the plans of the governing coalition to transfer education in minority schools into Latvian language. Mr Usakovs believes that every time when the governing politicians fear of losing popularity and want to draw attention away from important social economic problems they play the ethnic card. Mr Usakovs calls this "cheap and powerful" trick for politicians – as soon as one side raises an issue such as minority schools – people on the other side immediately mobilise and both sides have their pre-election campaigns laud and ready. Nils Usakovs believes that the new generation of Latvian Russian speaking young people has no problems with Latvian language proficiency. But, at the same time, graduates of Latvian and Russian language schools have low results, for instance, in maths. Therefore, Mr Usakovs considers that it is very important to raise the alarm about the quality of education and low wages of teachers.

 The Mayor of Ventspils Aivars Lembergs does not support transfer of education in national minority schools into Latvian language only. Mr Lembergs believes that ethnic Latvians themselves should take care about the usage of Latvian language instead of laying that responsibility on the others. Vesti Segodnya

 Vesti Segodnya publishes opinion of 21 public figures on whether they are ready to support protests against the transfer minority education into Latvian language and in what form. The majority of interviewees stated that they would be ready to take part in the protest actions and believe that it is impermissible to close Russian language schools. Media expert Sergejs Kruks says that he would be ready to take part in the protests as a manifestation of civil activities. Mr Kruks also says that he supports schools by publications and research and believes that the plans to change the existing education system has no any scientific grounds. The TV journalist Andrejs Mamikins also says that he would support schools by any democratic means and believes that by such reform politicians will blow up the situation.

 One of the organisers of the protest action against the transition of Russian language schools into Latvian language Miroslavs Mitrofanovs (the Union of Latvia's Russians) is pleased with the first protest action held on 4 February. Mr Mitrofanovs is also satisfied that he had chance to speak with the Minister of Education Ina Druviete about the planned changes and to agree about further meetings and discussions. Mr Mitrofanovs says that it is very important to analyse the situation in national minority schools, to receive objective data, and after that to take measures in order to improve the education quality. Vesti Segodnya

According to the latest public opinion survey conducted by “Latvijas fakti”, the most popular party in January 2014 was the Concord Centre - 21,2% of respondents said that they would support this party at the Saeima’s elections. The Concord Centre’s popularity has grown by 3% since December 2013. The popularity of the Unity also has grown by about 1%, reaching 14,5%. Popularity of two other major parties decreased - from 10,5% down to 9,8% for the Union of Greens and Framers and from 6,8% down to 6,2 for the nationalists’ union All for Latvia!/FF-LNIM. Latvijas Avize