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.

• Vesti Segodnya reports about an article by a political scientist Jurgis Liepnieks on what kind of integration policy Latvia needs
• Vesti Segodnya interviews the Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkevics
• Government granted additional funding for Latvian Radio Channel 4 in order to ensure its broadcasting in Latvian eastern border regions
• State Service of Education Quality forbade schools to use a brochure edited by Valerijs Buhvalovs
• Subcommittee on patriotic education discusses possible actions aimed at region with the largest proportion of ethnic minorities

Vesti Segodnya reports about an article by a political scientist Jurgis Liepnieks on what kind of integration policy Latvia needs. According to Mr. Liepnieks, in order to ensure stability inside the state and draw closer ethnic Latvians and Russian speaking residents, Latvia should refuse all its previous integration documents and programs aimed at assimilation of ethnic non-Latvians. Mr Liepnieks believes that in order to make allies of ethnic non-Latvians it is important to refuse any force and assimilation strategy and to use instead professional pragmatic state marketing strategies. Also, Mr Liepnieks believes that integration policy should be aimed not only on ethnic Russians but also on ethnic Latvians and also stresses that Russophobic and nationalistic ethnic Latvians are equally harmful for the existence of Latvian national state as disloyal non-Latvians. Mr Liepnieks says that neither EU nor U.S.A. will be able to help Latvia if Latvia itself does not ensure political stability through real actions aimed on consolidation of ethnic groups.

Vesti Segodnya interviews the Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkevics. The Minister criticizes the draft amendments to the Criminal Law stipulating punishment for public denial, justification and gross trivialization of USSR and Nazi German aggression. The Minister stresses that the Criminal Law already foresees liability for denial of crimes against humanity and therefore, there is no need for additional articles, especially, because the current version of the proposed amendments gives options for wide interpretation. Commenting situation in Crimea, the Minister calls Russian speaking resident to consider with understanding feelings of ethnic Latvians about it as these events reminds them about events in Latvia in 1940. The Minister also hopes that all Latvian residents will be respectful to one another and will not support radicals.         

Yesterday, the government granted additional funding for Latvian Radio Channel 4in order to ensure its broadcasting in Latvian eastern border regions. The target audience of the Chanel 4 is mainly Russian speaking residents. Latvijas Avize, Diena

Latvijas Avize reports about a brochure “And the times puts obelisks” edited in Russian language by a member of the Union of Russians in Latvia and Russian cultural association “Veche” Valerijs Buhvalovs. The brochure was edited with an aim to present it to school teachers to “broaden their horizons.” However, the Education Content and Examination Centre after evaluation of the brochure’s content concluded that it does not correspondent to general education content and state education standards as it factually justifies Latvia’s occupation by the USSR and recognises it as a right step in order to save Europe from further escalation of Nazism. The State Service of Education Quality sent letter to all Latvian schools saying that usage of such material is not permissible in education process.

The Saeima subcommittee on patriotic education discussed possible actions aimed at strengthening ethnic Latvian cultural space in Latgale region (eastern part of Latvia). This region drew close attention by local and international mass media after reunion of Crimea with Russia as it has the largest proportion of ethnic minorities. Vesti Segodnya