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

Yesterday the Saeima adopted amendments to the Satversme (Constitution) in the final reading. The Satversme was supplemented with Chapter 8 on Fundamental Rights of a Person. Until now in Latvia fundamental human rights and freedoms were provided by Law on the Rights and Obligations of a Citizen and a Person adopted in 1991. Now these rights and freedoms, including the equality under the law, right to life, freedom and honour, inviolability of private life, freedom of assembly, political rights of a citizen, and others, will be determined on a constitutional level. Furthermore, the Article 4 of the Satversme was amended by providing status of the state language to the Latvian language, and it is anticipated that the further amendments of this Article would come into force only through a referendum.

Yesterday the Saeima adopted amendments to the Satversme (Constitution) in the final reading. The Satversme was supplemented with Chapter 8 on Fundamental Rights of a Person. Until now in Latvia fundamental human rights and freedoms were provided by Law on the Rights and Obligations of a Citizen and a Person adopted in 1991. Now these rights and freedoms, including the equality under the law, right to life, freedom and honour, inviolability of private life, freedom of assembly, political rights of a citizen, and others, will be determined on a constitutional level. Furthermore, the Article 4 of the Satversme was amended by providing status of the state language to the Latvian language, and it is anticipated that the further amendments of this Article would come into force only through a referendum. Diena

Dienain Russian publishes a letter of President of the Association for Teachers of Russian language and literature Tatjana Liguta to the Saeima, State President, Minister of Education, and Integration Commission in which she analyses the situation in education of national minorities and proposes possible directions of education reform, like guaranteeing the choice of language of instruction, ensuring the unified content of education for all schools, prioritising the civic education, developing all forms of communication between schools with different language of instruction.(full text in Russian is enclosed). Diena

Yesterday the Saeima also adopted a law which provides that starting 1 January 1999 laws of the Latvian SSR and resolutions of the Supreme Council, as well as decrees and resolutions of the Presidium of the Supreme Council adopted before the promulgation of independence, will become null and void except for seven laws: Code of Administrative Violations, Code of Civil Process, Code of Labour laws, Criminal Code, Code of Penalty Implementation, and the Language Law. At the moment there are more than two thousand normative acts adopted in the Soviet time. The government should determine when the normative acts issued by the Latvian SSR Council of Ministers and ministries, will become null and void.

Yesterday the Saeima also adopted a law which provides that starting 1 January 1999 laws of the Latvian SSR and resolutions of the Supreme Council, as well as decrees and resolutions of the Presidium of the Supreme Council adopted before the promulgation of independence, will become null and void except for seven laws: Code of Administrative Violations, Code of Civil Process, Code of Labour laws, Criminal Code, Code of Penalty Implementation, and the Language Law. At the moment there are more than two thousand normative acts adopted in the Soviet time. The government should determine when the normative acts issued by the Latvian SSR Council of Ministers and ministries, will become null and void. Diena

On Wednesday the Saeima adopted amendments to the Criminal Procedural Code and Code of Penalty Implementation which are necessary for the new criminal Code to come into effect in March next year. The Criminal Code as well as the Code of Criminal Process and Penalty Implementation are, to some degree, harmonised with the EU requirements, except for one important issue - the death penalty - whose keeping was approved by the Saeima contrary to the recommendations of the European Commission.

On Wednesday the Saeima adopted amendments to the Criminal Procedural Code and Code of Penalty Implementation which are necessary for the new criminal Code to come into effect in March next year. The Criminal Code as well as the Code of Criminal Process and Penalty Implementation are, to some degree, harmonised with the EU requirements, except for one important issue - the death penalty - whose keeping was approved by the Saeima contrary to the recommendations of the European Commission. Diena

Official results of the 7th Saeima elections will be announced some time next wee, since the Central Electoral Commission and regional electoral commissions are still working on finalising the outcome to avoid inaccuracy.

Official results of the 7th Saeima elections will be announced some time next wee, since the Central Electoral Commission and regional electoral commissions are still working on finalising the outcome to avoid inaccuracy. Neatkariga

Yesterday during a meeting the President of the European Parliament Mr. Delgado told the Latvian State President Guntis Ulmanis that the Foreign Affairs Commission of the European Parliament has recommended the EU to start accession talks with Latvia. The European Parliament also considers a possibility to support Latvian language training. During the meeting with the NATO Secretary General Mr. Solana, Mr. Ulmanis was assured that the open door policy will be preserved concerning the NATO enlargement.

Yesterday during a meeting the President of the European Parliament Mr. Delgado told the Latvian State President Guntis Ulmanis that the Foreign Affairs Commission of the European Parliament has recommended the EU to start accession talks with Latvia. The European Parliament also considers a possibility to support Latvian language training. During the meeting with the NATO Secretary General Mr. Solana, Mr. Ulmanis was assured that the open door policy will be preserved concerning the NATO enlargement. Jauna Avize

Riga City Council deputy Jakov Pliner criticises decrees of the Ministry of Education prohibiting use of text books which are not published in Latvia. According to Mr. Pliner, among books given as a present by Moscow Mayor, there are books worth to be read not only by Russian but also Latvian teachers.

Riga City Council deputy Jakov Pliner criticises decrees of the Ministry of Education prohibiting use of text books which are not published in Latvia. According to Mr. Pliner, among books given as a present by Moscow Mayor, there are books worth to be read not only by Russian but also Latvian teachers. Panorama Latvii

Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent a response note to the Latvian MFA concerning the documentary “Latvian Chronicles” broadcasted by the Russian TV company RTR. In the note, the Latvian MFA drew attention of the Russian side to the distortion of historical facts in the film, as well as expressed opinion that such an interpretation of historical events could be considered as an attempt to bring about inter-ethnic discord. In the response note it is said that the Constitution of the Russian Federation and the Law on Mass Media guarantee the independence of the mass media. Vladimir Ivanov, advisor of the Russian Ambassador in Latvia, thinks that pretensions of the Latvian MFA concerning this documentary are strange, since the intention of the documentary was to show what could be brought by an ideology of superiority of one nation over other. Besides, if the Latvian MFA believes that the historical facts were distorted, it, according to legal norms in Civil law of Russia and international law, can sue the TV Company RTR.

Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent a response note to the Latvian MFA concerning the documentary Latvian Chronicles broadcasted by the Russian TV company RTR. In the note, the Latvian MFA drew attention of the Russian side to the distortion of historical facts in the film, as well as expressed opinion that such an interpretation of historical events could be considered as an attempt to bring about inter-ethnic discord. In the response note it is said that the Constitution of the Russian Federation and the Law on Mass Media guarantee the independence of the mass media. Vladimir Ivanov, advisor of the Russian Ambassador in Latvia, thinks that pretensions of the Latvian MFA concerning this documentary are strange, since the intention of the documentary was to show what could be brought by an ideology of superiority of one nation over other. Besides, if the Latvian MFA believes that the historical facts were distorted, it, according to legal norms in Civil law of Russia and international law, can sue the TV Company RTR. SM