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.

• Minister of Education Ina Druviete will stimulate school directors to choose so-called first model of bilingual education
• Saeima’s Legal Committee supported the draft amendments stipulating punishment for public denial of USSR and Nazi German aggression

Yesterday, the Saeima’s Committee on Education, Culture and Science discussed with the Minister of Education Ina Druviete situation in education system, including language reform in ethnic minority schools. Replying to a question why the language reform in necessary, the Minister said that it is important to raise quality and level of state language proficiency in bilingual schools. According to Vesti Segodnya, the Minister also said that it is not planned to amend the Education Law yet, but to stimulate school directors to choose so-called first model of bilingual education where the proportion of education in Latvian and native language is 90/10% or 80/20%. Such model is used now only in 5% of schools.

Yesterday, the Saeima’s Legal Committee supported the draft amendments to the Criminal Law stipulating punishment for public denial of USSR and Nazi German aggression against Latvia, for justification, glorification or for malicious, rude or offensive attempt to question the fact of aggression. Against the draft amendments objected the MPs from the oppositional party Concord Centre and also representative of the Security Police (SP) who argued that the police officers and courts might face difficulties in applying such legal norms in practice because it will be hard to determine what was meant by possible defender, whether the denial was malicious, rude or offensive. The SP representative also said that such legal provisions might hinder scientific discussions and critical analyses of history. Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya