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.

• Nationalists’ union proposes to suspend issuing residence permits to third country nationals
• Court punished a persons with six months of suspended imprisonment for hate speech on the Internet
• Vesti Segodnya reports about complaints of residents who faced situation when  medical workers refused to speak with them in a language they understand

The nationalists’ union All for Latvia!-FF/LNIM proposes draft amendments to the Immigration Law giving the government rights to suspend issuing residence permits to third country nationals for a time period up to one year if there are some state security risks. The nationalists’ union, primarily, is concerned about the risks regarding purchase of real estate by Russian citizens. The Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma plans to discuss the proposal with the Minister of Interior within a week. Latvijas Avize, Diena

The Riga North District Court punished a man with six months of suspended imprisonment and six months of probation period for incitement of ethnic hatred on the Internet. The convicted person published deliberately hateful comment against Jewish people on a web site under an article about political processes in Israel. Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segodnya reports about complaints of residents with poor Latvian language proficiency who faced situation when medical workers refused to speak with them in a language they understand. The newspaper specially asked its readers to report if they have faced such situation. In result, the newspaper collected four cases – mostly elderly people complained about situations when doctors refused to communicate with them in Russian language. The newspaper received also many calls of persons who wanted to thank their doctors for provided treatment disregard language and other aspects. The State Health Inspection commenting the complaints said that there are no legal norms strictly stipulating that doctors should speak in a language patient understands but such principle comes out of universal human practice and if a doctor is not proficient in patient’s language he/she should invite a colleague who is.