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.

Press Review

Yesterday after meetings with high officials of Latvia the OSCE High Commissioner Max van der Stoel said that Latvia started a new phase of development which would assist the country and legitimate aspirations of non-citizens. Minister of Foreign Affairs Valdis Birkavs informed the High Commissioner about the governmental resolution to form a work group which would develop the integration program, and the resolution of the co-ordination council of the government forming fractions to start work on the amendments of the Citizenship Law. The Minister also said that this time the High Commissioner has not submitted any new recommendations. At the meeting with the Minister of the Interior Ziedonis Cevers the High Commissioner expressed a positive opinion about the attempts to solve the problems with non-citizen passports. The Minister promised that by 31 October non-citizen passports would be issued to all who wants to travel. On Wednesday the High Commissioner also met with the State President and the Saeima Commissions on Human Rights and Foreign Affairs to discuss the citizenship and language policy issues. The High Commissioner repeated his recommendations to grant citizenship to children who are born after the restoration of the independence and to eliminate the restrictions on the language use in private sphere. An exception might be the service sphere, the Saeima Press Service reported.

Yesterday after meetings with high officials of Latvia the OSCE High Commissioner Max van der Stoel said that Latvia started a new phase of development which would assist the country and legitimate aspirations of non-citizens. Minister of Foreign Affairs Valdis Birkavs informed the High Commissioner about the governmental resolution to form a work group which would develop the integration program, and the resolution of the co-ordination council of the government forming fractions to start work on the amendments of the Citizenship Law. The Minister also said that this time the High Commissioner has not submitted any new recommendations. At the meeting with the Minister of the Interior Ziedonis Cevers the High Commissioner expressed a positive opinion about the attempts to solve the problems with non-citizen passports. The Minister promised that by 31 October non-citizen passports would be issued to all who wants to travel. On Wednesday the High Commissioner also met with the State President and the Saeima Commissions on Human Rights and Foreign Affairs to discuss the citizenship and language policy issues. The High Commissioner repeated his recommendations to grant citizenship to children who are born after the restoration of the independence and to eliminate the restrictions on the language use in private sphere. An exception might be the service sphere, the Saeima Press Service reported. Diena

Yesterday at the meeting with the State President Guntis Ulmanis the OSCE High Commissioner Max van der Stoel expressed a hope that the relations between Latvia and Russia would normalize, and the dialogue between two countries would continue. Mr. Ulmanis, in turn, said that he was surprised about the demagogy started in Russia which was used to incite hatred of the Russian population towards Latvians. He also reproached Secretary General of the UN and the European Secretary General who, while being in Moscow, were attempting to adjust themselves to Russia's remarks.

Yesterday at the meeting with the State President Guntis Ulmanis the OSCE High Commissioner Max van der Stoel expressed a hope that the relations between Latvia and Russia would normalize, and the dialogue between two countries would continue. Mr. Ulmanis, in turn, said that he was surprised about the demagogy started in Russia which was used to incite hatred of the Russian population towards Latvians. He also reproached Secretary General of the UN and the European Secretary General who, while being in Moscow, were attempting to adjust themselves to Russia's remarks. Diena, B&B

The Ministry of Economics predicts the decrease of Latvia's export to Russia for 50 %. The Prime Minister Guntars Krasts has no official information that Russia has started implementing of the economic sanctions. Still, several Latvian companies already experience "unfavourable attitude" of their Russian partners.

The Ministry of Economics predicts the decrease of Latvia's export to Russia for 50 %. The Prime Minister Guntars Krasts has no official information that Russia has started implementing of the economic sanctions. Still, several Latvian companies already experience "unfavourable attitude" of their Russian partners. Diena, Neatkariga

The government forming fractions agreed to form a work group which by 14 April would prepare amendments to the Citizenship Law by synthesising proposals of all fractions. Minister of Foreign Affairs Valdis Birkavs told the press that the government is ready for the discussion about the amendments of the Citizenship Law. Andrejs Pantelejevs,

The government forming fractions agreed to form a work group which by 14 April would prepare amendments to the Citizenship Law by synthesising proposals of all fractions. Minister of Foreign Affairs Valdis Birkavs told the press that the government is ready for the discussion about the amendments of the Citizenship Law. Andrejs Pantelejevs, Latvijas Cels, said that is possible that during this synthesis process the proposal of the Tevzemei un Brivibai eliminating the granting of citizenship for outstanding service for the benefit of Latvia, might be adopted. Diena, Chas

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the draft law on General Education and sent it to the Saeima for the further consideration.

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the draft law on General Education and sent it to the Saeima for the further consideration. Diena

Panorama Latvii publishes an interview with the Minister of Education Juris Celmins about the prospects of the educational system in Latvia. According to the Minister, until the year of 2005 there will be three types of schools in Latvia- first, schools with Latvian as the language of instruction; second, schools of the ethnic minorities; and third, specialized schools. Starting the year of 2005 the state financed schools will have only Latvian as the language of instruction.