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.

• The MP Veiko Spolitis proposes to introduce fines for wearing St. George ribbons 
• Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma does not rule out that Latvia could accept redistribution of refugees 
• Saeima’s Speaker Inara Murniece: Latvia is a national state where all its citizens have common Latvian language, culture and historical memory

The MP Veiko Spolitis (independent) proposes to introduce fines for wearing St. George ribbons (associated with the commemoration of World War II) at the public events and hanging those in cars in Latvia. The MP equates St. George ribbons with symbols of totalitarian regimes and proposes to impose fines for the usage of these ribbons up to EUR 750. Vesti Segodnya

Commenting possible introduction of quotas for each EU member state on accommodation of refugees, the Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma said that it is not ruled out that Latvia could accept the redistribution of refugees initially arriving to other EU member states. Other politicians – the MPs Artis Pabriks (Unity) and Janis Dombrava (National Union) discussing the possible accommodation of refugees argue that Latvia can avoid it because it already has accommodated large number of immigrants during Soviet era. The MP Boriss Cilevics, in his turn, does not believe that Latvia would voluntary accommodate refugees from other the EU countries. Vesti Segodnya

Latvijas Avize publishes the speech by the Saeima’s Speaker Inara Murniece in honour of the 4th of May – day of the restoration of state independence. In her speech, Mrs Murniece mentioned that it was the majority of the ethnic Latvian “state nation” and ethnic minorities who wanted to restore national, democratic, European Latvian state. At the same time, she believes that there were others, mostly USSR citizens who arrived to Latvia as a result of colonisation policy of the Soviet occupation regime, who wanted the occupation regime to continue. The Speaker stressed that Latvia is a national state where all its citizens have common Latvian language, culture and historical memory. She alleges that the bilingual education schools system is segregated by ethnic principle. Mrs Murniece said that during 25 years of independence the positions of the state language have strengthened and many ethnic non-Latvians are proficient in it and use it. However, she alleges that “ethnic Latvian in his own state” cannot qualify for job without Russian language proficiency and she finds it shameful. Latvijas Avize (5.05), Vesti Segodnya