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.

• 150 persons took part in a protest action against transition of ethnic minority schools into Latvian language
• Russian Embassy in Latvia clarifies statements of the Ambassador Veshnyakov regarding granting Russian citizenship to non-citizens

Yesterday, about 150 persons took part in a protest action against transition of ethnic minority schools into Latvian language. The protest action was organised by a member of the Latvia’s Russian Union Jakovs Pliners. Member of the picket demanded government to cancel plans for such language reform, to ensure that children study in schools in their native language, and to grant funding for support of ethnic minority schools according to demand of parents. Neatkariga, Latvijas Avize

Latvijas Avize reports that it has received a letter from the Russian Embassy in Latvia regarding recent publication in media that Russia is ready to save Latvian non-citizens from poverty. The Embassy clarifies that the Ambassador Aleksandr Veshnyakov in his interview with Latvia Radio 4 talked not about some Russia’s draft law on granting citizenship to Russians living aboard but about the existing legal norms which stipulate granting Russian citizenship to Latvian non-citizens who are not permanent Russia’s residents. The Ambassador also said Russia stimulated acceptance of Russian citizenship by non-citizens only in the circumstances of economical crisis in order to help those people to receive at least Russian pension as a source of income.