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.

• Newspapers continue to report about discussion in the Latvian public space about possible introduction of quotas for accommodation of refugees
• A group of MPs prepared a draft law calling to restrict the use of St. George ribbons at public events

Newspapers continue to report about discussion in the Latvian public space about possible introduction of quotas for accommodation of refugees. According to the State Secretary of the Ministry of Interior Ilze Petersone-Godmane, Latviais not ready for any additional mandatory actions for accommodation of refugees. The MP Janis Dombrava (National Union) stated that Latviashould rather think of its own people than about immigrants. He also proposed to decrease the monthly benefit for refugees as, to his opinion, benefit in amount of EUR 256 is too big comparing to benefits paid to young mothers and average wage in Latvia. The Minister of Health Guntis Belevics, in his turn, stated that refugees from African countries might bring various diseases to Latvia, such as Ebola and tuberculosis. Demographer and migration researcher (also the head of the IOM in Latvia) Ilmars Mezs said that Latviashould express its solidarity and support refugee quotas but only if those would foresee accommodation of few dozens of refugees. Columnist of the weekly magazine IR Pauls Raudseps, in his turn, criticizes negative attitude of Latvians towards accommodation of refugees. According to P.Raudseps, the society should remember that during the past century Latvians were at similar situation twice - escaping from Latvia during the WWI (760,000 to Russia) and during the WWII (about 200,000 persons went on small boats to Sweden or on overloaded ships to Germany). He reminds that Latvians themselves needed help from strangers, organisations and governments to survive. Therefore, it is moral responsibility to keep those facts in mind speaking about Latvia’s readiness to accommodate refugees from other countries.  Latvijas Avize, Neatkariga, Vesti Segodnya

A group of MPs – Janis Dombrava, Gunars Rusins, Einars Cilinskis, Karlis Kreslins, Gaidis Berzins (all members of the National Union) and Veiko Spolitis (independent MP), prepared a draft law calling to restrict the use of St. George ribbons at public events, including entertaining events and celebrations. The MPs believe that the St. George ribbons glorify Russia’s imperialism and became a unified distinction of those people who lives under the influence of Russia’s propaganda and desire for territorial expansion of Russia. They also mention that the ribbons were used in the process of the occupation of Crimea and “terrorist and criminal groupings” in the Eastern Ukraine. Vesti Segodnya