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

Press Review

After long debates the Saeima decided to return the Criminal Law to the Saeima Commissions for a review.

After long debates the Saeima decided to return the Criminal Law to the Saeima Commissions for a review. Diena

Swedish Foreign Affairs Minister Lena Valena arrived in Riga to become acquainted with the amendments to the Citizenship Law. Yesterday the Latvian Foreign Affairs Minister Valdis Birkavs said that it is absolutely essential that the Saeima supports the governmental proposal for the Citizenship Law amendments.

Swedish Foreign Affairs Minister Lena Valena arrived in Riga to become acquainted with the amendments to the Citizenship Law. Yesterday the Latvian Foreign Affairs Minister Valdis Birkavs said that it is absolutely essential that the Saeima supports the governmental proposal for the Citizenship Law amendments. Diena

SM publishes an article by Mr. Elkin about the amendments of the Citizenship Law in which the author argues that the governmental version of amendments most likely will not be supported by the Saeima, since the Latvijas Cels is ready to agree with the Tevzemei un Brivibai on not granting the citizenship to non-citizen children automatically. As the deputy head of the Latvijas Cels faction Karlis Leiskalns told SM the LC faction most likely will not support the automatic granting of citizenship, since it believes that the command of the Latvian language is an essential criteria for the obtaining of citizenship. SM

Latvian Foreign Affairs Minister Valdis Birkavs will ask his Estonian counterpart to sign the bilateral agreement on simplifying border crossing for residents of the border zones as soon as possible.

Latvian Foreign Affairs Minister Valdis Birkavs will ask his Estonian counterpart to sign the bilateral agreement on simplifying border crossing for residents of the border zones as soon as possible. Neatkariga

Yesterday Press Secretary of the Latvian MFA Andrejs Pildegovics told journalists that Russia deliberately does not want to have a dialogue with Latvia. Besides, the Russian authorities are to be blamed for the distribution of distorted information about Latvia and political processes here. Commenting the press statement of Mr. Pildegovics,

Yesterday Press Secretary of the Latvian MFA Andrejs Pildegovics told journalists that Russia deliberately does not want to have a dialogue with Latvia. Besides, the Russian authorities are to be blamed for the distribution of distorted information about Latvia and political processes here. Commenting the press statement of Mr. Pildegovics, Chas writes that, according to an unofficial competent source, these brave statements of Latvian officials about Russia are done in accordance with the unofficial recommendations of European institutions, and that the recent talk of the Latvian Prime Minister with the president of the European Commission has something to do with that.

Yesterday at the meeting of the National Council on Crime Prevention the head of the Satversme (Constitution) Defence Bureau Lainis Kamaldins named 12 extremist organizations acting in Latvia. The Council discussed possible means preventing the repetition of the 14 May meeting in the Vermanes park (in Riga) in which members of some extremist organizations took part. The Ministry of the Interior has prepared a project for amendments in legislative acts which would ban the use of symbols of the former USSR, the Latvian SSR, and the Nazi Germany at meetings and other mass gatherings.

Yesterday at the meeting of the National Council on Crime Prevention the head of the Satversme (Constitution) Defence Bureau Lainis Kamaldins named 12 extremist organizations acting in Latvia. The Council discussed possible means preventing the repetition of the 14 May meeting in the Vermanes park (in Riga) in which members of some extremist organizations took part. The Ministry of the Interior has prepared a project for amendments in legislative acts which would ban the use of symbols of the former USSR, the Latvian SSR, and the Nazi Germany at meetings and other mass gatherings. Neatkariga, B&B

Yesterday a Russian newspaper "NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA" published an interview with Colonel General Leonid Ivashov, the chief of the Department of International Military Co-operation at the Russian Ministry of Defence, in which he announced that in a case some former Soviet Union republic becomes a candidate to the NATO, Russia will have to increase the number of strategical forces in the north-west region. Press Secretary of the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andrejs Pildegovics said that this interview cannot be considered an official decision of the Russian government.

Yesterday a Russian newspaper "NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA" published an interview with Colonel General Leonid Ivashov, the chief of the Department of International Military Co-operation at the Russian Ministry of Defence, in which he announced that in a case some former Soviet Union republic becomes a candidate to the NATO, Russia will have to increase the number of strategical forces in the north-west region. Press Secretary of the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andrejs Pildegovics said that this interview cannot be considered an official decision of the Russian government. B&B

At the congress of the International Press Institute in Moscow, the Russian Prime Minister Kiriyenko was asked about the Latvian-Russian relations which are reserved. Prime Minister said that there should not be double standards regarding the human rights violations in Russia or any other country. He believes that there are violations of human rights of Russian speaking people in Latvia, therefore Russia cannot be indiferent towards that, and it will use civilized means to affect the situation.

At the congress of the International Press Institute in Moscow, the Russian Prime Minister Kiriyenko was asked about the Latvian-Russian relations which are reserved. Prime Minister said that there should not be double standards regarding the human rights violations in Russia or any other country. He believes that there are violations of human rights of Russian speaking people in Latvia, therefore Russia cannot be indiferent towards that, and it will use civilized means to affect the situation. Diena

Oksana Migunova, journalist of

Oksana Migunova, journalist of B&B, expressed her opinion about the show-off examination for the naturalization organized by the Soros Foundation which was filmed and later will be shown on the TV and used as a visual material in Russian schools. She compares this film with the various commercials on TV and questions whether it will reach the goal. B&B

Within the framework of the Program on Integration, SM publishes a story of two young people who think that the Latvian citizenship in an advantageous factor for their successful future in Latvia.

Within the framework of the Program on Integration, SM publishes a story of two young people who think that the Latvian citizenship in an advantageous factor for their successful future in Latvia. SM

Ilga Apine in her article for the weekly newspaper

Ilga Apine in her article for the weekly newspaper Fokuss states that although conditions for a successful integration are more favourable in Latvia than in Estonia, the integration process in Latvia, unlike in Estonia, is hindered by the state institutions, inability of the Saeima to agree on the amendments to Citizenship Law and the lack of the political will.