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 a lection by an expert in linguistic rights, professor Fernand de Varennes
• Saeima’s Committee conceptually supported establishment of a regional studio of the Latvian public media in Latgale

Vesti Segodnya reports about a lecture by an expert on linguistic rights, professor Fernand de Varennes. The lecture was arranged by Latvian Human Rights Committee in Riga. According to Mr de Varennes, the Baltic States, similarly to France, Greece and Turkey, do not recognize the rights of ethnic minorities in many areas, and this fact deteriorates the human rights system in Europe.  The fact that the Council of Europe has agreed with the entry of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia to the EU without ratification of the Framework Convention for Protection of National Minorities was later followed as an example by other countries, says de Varennes. He believes that, although 20 years have passed after the restoration of the Baltic States’ independence, the policy is still aimed at narrowing linguistic rights of minorities in these countries. As an example, the expert has mentioned the decrease of minority language proportion in minority schools and the ban of bilingual street signs in Latvia. He also believes that other European states have started to follow an example of the Baltic States in justifying limitation of minority rights by political and strategic objectives, as it was before the WWII. Mr de Varennes says that weakening the mechanism of minority protection leads towards the growth of separatist movements in Europe. In order to strengthen such a mechanism, Mr de Varennes proposes the transfer of the Framework Convention to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights.

Yesterday, the Saeima’s Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee conceptually supported establishment of a regional studio of the Latvian public media in Latgale (Latvia’s Eastern region.) It is planned to locate the studio in Daugavpils or Rezekne. Two radio journalists would work there producing informative analytical broadcasts and news stories in Latvian and Russian languages. The aim of the establishment of such studio is to strengthen presence of Latvian public media in Latgale and to counter Russia’s propaganda.