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 Report

According to the head of the Latvian delegation to the talks on troop withdrawal Mr. Virsis the main problems to be negotiated upon are the annual rent for the radar station and social guarantees for retired army officers. Mr. Zotov mentioned the amount of $ 400 mln. per year claimed by the Latvian party and he added that no increases would be made by the Russian party on the initial amount of $ 2 mln per year offered. As for the problem of social guarantees the parties has not yet worked out concrete demands regarding the nature of such guarantees. An agreement was achieved on the number of the personnel of the radar station which would probably be reduced down to 599. It was also mentioned that in order to reduce a foreign military presence the radar might be guarded by Latvian troops. 

According to the head of the Latvian delegation to the talks on troop withdrawal Mr. Virsis the main problems to be negotiated upon are the annual rent for the radar station and social guarantees for retired army officers. Mr. Zotov mentioned the amount of $ 400 mln. per year claimed by the Latvian party and he added that no increases would be made by the Russian party on the initial amount of $ 2 mln per year offered. As for the problem of social guarantees the parties has not yet worked out concrete demands regarding the nature of such guarantees. An agreement was achieved on the number of the personnel of the radar station which would probably be reduced down to 599. It was also mentioned that in order to reduce a foreign military presence the radar might be guarded by Latvian troops.Diena, Neatkariga, Cina

There was a meeting between the representatives of parish self-government bodies of Skrunde area and Government officials held on Feb.16 during which local authorities and community representatives expressed their concern about the terms of the radar withdrawal. LNNK and Tevzemei un Brivibai fractions have already announced that they will vote against the terms suggested during the talks between Russia and Latvia.

There was a meeting between the representatives of parish self-government bodies of Skrunde area and Government officials held on Feb.16 during which local authorities and community representatives expressed their concern about the terms of the radar withdrawal. LNNK and Tevzemei un Brivibai fractions have already announced that they will vote against the terms suggested during the talks between Russia and Latvia. Diena

In his interview for SM SEVODNYA Mr. Zotov also touched upon the problems of Russian-speaking population. He said that there is an attempt to force non-Latvians to leave the country by constantly pressing on them and violating their human rights which contradicts the agreement on the relations between the two countries of January 1991.

In his interview for SM SEVODNYA Mr. Zotov also touched upon the problems of Russian-speaking population. He said that there is an attempt to force non-Latvians to leave the country by constantly pressing on them and violating their human rights which contradicts the agreement on the relations between the two countries of January 1991. SM

In his interview for NEATKARIGA CINA the Latvian ambassador to Russia Mr. Peters says that the propaganda campaign regarding the discrimination of Russian-speaking population in Latvia is to a large extend a result of a complicated internal situation in Russia due to the growing influence of extreme nationalists.

In his interview for NEATKARIGA CINA the Latvian ambassador to Russia Mr. Peters says that the propaganda campaign regarding the discrimination of Russian-speaking population in Latvia is to a large extend a result of a complicated internal situation in Russia due to the growing influence of extreme nationalists. Neatkariga, Cina

The second reading of the Draft Law on the Referendum on Draft Citizenship Laws was prepared by the Legal Commission of the Saema. According to that law the Citizenship Law may be submitted for the referendum by the President. The Referendum Law might be adopted by the middle of March.

The second reading of the Draft Law on the Referendum on Draft Citizenship Laws was prepared by the Legal Commission of the Saema. According to that law the Citizenship Law may be submitted for the referendum by the President. The Referendum Law might be adopted by the middle of March. Diena

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia Mr. Andreyevs spoke on the citizenship issues in his interview for

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia Mr. Andreyevs spoke on the citizenship issues in his interview for SM. As the basic reason for his contacts with Russian Foreign Office being so seldom he named the absence of an adopted citizenship law. The Minister also explained the reasons why he and his fraction ("Latvijas Cels") had been supporting the "quota" principle for the Citizenship Law. The first reason was not to aggravate the existing demographic disbalance and treat the naturalization process very carefully. He also said that there were certain political reasons for such approach including the fact that a great portion of Russian-speaking population could not be expected to be loyal to Latvia. The Minister stressed that a "compromise that would satisfy both parties and the international community should be worked out." Mr. Malinsh, the Press Secretary of the Citizenship and Immigration Department in his interview complained about the decision of the Ministry of the interior to attach passport bureaus to the Department. Previously the bureaus were part of Police departments. He confirmed that the staff of the Department has an opportunity to interpret the laws in a relatively flexible manner. According to Malinsh a large amount of non-citizens have a square stamp in their passports. He points out that these people have "illusions about the possibility of staying in Latvia forever". There are also individuals that understand that though they have a "square stamp" they will have to leave Latvia sooner or later. Such people according to Malinshfight to receive citizenship. As it was explained by the Legal Commission of the Saema the legal status of such persons as well as the terms of their stay in Latvia are not determined by any law which means that it cannot be stated that these persons will have to leave the country at some point. Malinsh also suggested the Department's option for the solution of the problem. He and his colleagues consider that it is important to officially determine the term of the stay for non-citizens in order to "prepare them psychologically". The second part of the plan is the establishment of joint ventures between Latvia and Russia that will take care of dwelling and employment problems of repatriates. Such joint ventures will be licensed by the Department but the whole repatriation program is expected to be financed by international community. Labrit