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.

• Protest action against accommodation of refugees in Latvia took place in Riga
• Former President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga: 250 refugees is a very small number and the state should accept them

• Heads of Latvian local councils say that there are no promises for accommodation of refugees
• Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkevics criticizes the negative discussions around accommodation of refugees in Latvia

About 1,000 persons took part in a protest action against accommodation of refugees in Latviaheld on Tuesday, 4 August in Riga. Participants of the picket kept in hands posters saying “No to genocide of white people!”, “Baltic statesfor Baltic people. Europefor Europeans. Africafor Africans”, “SOS! Help Latvian pensioners and children” and others. The protestors demanded for a national referendum on accommodation of refugees in Latvia. Members of the governing coalition from the National Union – Janis Dombrava, Imants Paradnieks, Karlis Kreslins, and Rihards Kols and others also were among the participants of the picket. Diena, Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya, Neatkariga  

According to the former President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga, the political “circus” around the issue of accommodation of refugees in Latviais not connected with care about these people, but with race for power. Mrs Vike-Freiberga believes that 250 refugees is a very small number and the state should accept them. By refusal to provide asylum for such small number of refugees Latviaacknowledges its total poverty and morally discredits itself, says Mrs. Vike-Freiberga. Vesti Segodnya

Commenting possible accommodation of refugees in Latvian regions, heads of Latvian local councils say that there are no promises to provide for refugees. According to the Mayor of Valmiera there is a housing shortage even for local residents in the city. The same argument is mentioned also by the Mayors of Riga, Kuldiga, and Rezekne. As the only option the Mayor of Kuldiga proposed to allocate some apartments for refugees in the parishes. The Mayor of Aizkraukle stated that the local government is not ready to take any decision without asking local residents. Latvijas Avize

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkevics criticizes the negative discussions around accommodation of refugees in Latvia. The Minister stresses that often people do not distinguish refugees from economical migrants and reminds that refugee or subsidiary status is not granted to economical migrants. He also refutes an argument that the asylum seekers from Syriashould stay in the neighbour countries saying that millions of them are already accommodated by the nearby countries such as Turkey, Egypt, Iraqi and others.  Mr Rinkevics says that Latviaas a full-fledged and responsible state – member of the EU and NATO has to show its solidarity with other countries solving problem with influx of refugees. Latvijas Avize