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

Starting September 1, the Russian schools and schools of national minorities should offer the national minority primary education program. The Ministry of Education has prepared four bilingual education models. The school directors who met at the conference organised by the Ministry of Education, think that it is unrealistic to find teachers who would be ready to teach their subjects in two languages by 1 September. The Director of the Secondary school No 40 (with Russian as the language of instruction) Galina Jefremova said that now when there is the lack of teachers, it is rather the labor market that dictates the optimum teaching method than the director of the school. In her school several subjects are taught in the Latvian language, but she could not tell what type of model the school is implementing.Answering the question which of the models presented by the Ministry of Education, the school will start implementing on 1 September, Ms. Jefremova said that the school will name one, but in reality will d o what is the best for the pupils. The Director of the Education Strategy Department Baiba Petersone believes that the allocated financing means for the Latvian language teachers and the teachers who will teach their subjects in the Latvian language can improve the situation with the pedagogical staff in the minority schools.

Starting September 1, the Russian schools and schools of national minorities should offer the national minority primary education program. The Ministry of Education has prepared four bilingual education models. The school directors who met at the conference organised by the Ministry of Education, think that it is unrealistic to find teachers who would be ready to teach their subjects in two languages by 1 September. The Director of the Secondary school No 40 (with Russian as the language of instruction) Galina Jefremova said that now when there is the lack of teachers, it is rather the labor market that dictates the optimum teaching method than the director of the school. In her school several subjects are taught in the Latvian language, but she could not tell what type of model the school is implementing.Answering the question which of the models presented by the Ministry of Education, the school will start implementing on 1 September, Ms. Jefremova said that the school will name one, but in reality will d o what is the best for the pupils. The Director of the Education Strategy Department Baiba Petersone believes that the allocated financing means for the Latvian language teachers and the teachers who will teach their subjects in the Latvian language can improve the situation with the pedagogical staff in the minority schools. Neatkariga

Neatkariga writes about the student exchange program between the Daugavpils secondary school No 6 with Russian as the language of instruction and the Vandzenes secondary school in the Talsu region with Latvian as the language of instruction. This project received the Soros Fund - Latvia award for the promotion of the ethnic harmony.

The Latvian Television Broadcasting director Arvids Babris informed the LETA agency that the leadership of the Latvian Television has not planned to liquidate the news in the Russian language distributed on the 2nd channel. Mr. Babris believes that the statement that the simultaneous translation of the news broadcast “Panorama” into the Russian language would promote the discord between the Latvian audience and the audience of other nationality people, lacks the grounds.

The Latvian Television Broadcasting director Arvids Babris informed the LETA agency that the leadership of the Latvian Television has not planned to liquidate the news in the Russian language distributed on the 2nd channel. Mr. Babris believes that the statement that the simultaneous translation of the news broadcast Panorama into the Russian language would promote the discord between the Latvian audience and the audience of other nationality people, lacks the grounds.

Panorama Latvii publishes the full text of the statement by the leader of the fraction For Human Rights Janis Jurkans on the draft state language law adopted in the second reading. According to Mr. Jurkans, the draft law ignores the recommendations of the OSCE High Commissioner Max van der Stoel concerning the use of the language in the private sphere. If adopted in such a version, the state language law would promote the forced assimilation rather than the integration. Panorama Latvii

Speaking about the Latvian-Russian relations in the interview for the SM, the Prime Minister Vilis Kristopans said that Latvia is ready for the dialogue - it has adopted the amendments to the Citizenship Law, implemented almost all recommendations by the OSCE, has appointed the co-chairman of the Latvia-Russian intergovernmental commission. Answering the question about the joining the EU with such large number of non-citizens, Mr. Kristopans reminded that everybody can take the naturalisation exams and become the citizen of Latvia. There are only technical problems - the Naturalisation Board cannot review big amount of applications, but the government will try to solve that by increasing the financing for the NB.

Speaking about the Latvian-Russian relations in the interview for the SM, the Prime Minister Vilis Kristopans said that Latvia is ready for the dialogue - it has adopted the amendments to the Citizenship Law, implemented almost all recommendations by the OSCE, has appointed the co-chairman of the Latvia-Russian intergovernmental commission. Answering the question about the joining the EU with such large number of non-citizens, Mr. Kristopans reminded that everybody can take the naturalisation exams and become the citizen of Latvia. There are only technical problems - the Naturalisation Board cannot review big amount of applications, but the government will try to solve that by increasing the financing for the NB. SM

In the interview for 

In the interview forDiena the US Ambassador in Latvia J. Holmes said that good and stable relations between Latvia and its neighbours, including Russia, are important for the United States. The last months have been disappointing, since there were good chances to improve the relations between Latvia and Russia, but Moscow was not obliging. Mr. Holmes believes that during last 4-5 months Latvia has done a lot concerning the social integration and it is about the time that Russia recognises that. Diena

After the elections of the chair of the Saeima Commission on Budget and Finance during which the member of the

After the elections of the chair of the Saeima Commission on Budget and Finance during which the member of the For Fatherland and Freedom I. Kalnins was elected, the leader of the New Party Raimonds Pauls announced that the party will consider whether to remain in the ruling coalition. The reason of this disagreement is that the coalition had agreed to give this post to the I. Udre (the New Party) but that was disregarded by the For Fatherland and Freedom. Diena, Jauna Avize

The Saeima Commission on the Implementation of the Citizenship Law expressed incomprehension about the outdated information included into the draft framework document on the state integration program. For example, the chapter on the naturalisation does not mention the amendments to the Citizenship Law approved in the referendum in October of the last year. In response to that the authors of the framework document argued that amending of the text after it has been approved by the government, would have delayed its publication. The Head of the Naturalisation Board Eizenija Aldermane told DIENA, that only the information about the Citizenship Law text is outdated, but the presented objectives are still up-to-date.

The Saeima Commission on the Implementation of the Citizenship Law expressed incomprehension about the outdated information included into the draft framework document on the state integration program. For example, the chapter on the naturalisation does not mention the amendments to the Citizenship Law approved in the referendum in October of the last year. In response to that the authors of the framework document argued that amending of the text after it has been approved by the government, would have delayed its publication. The Head of the Naturalisation Board Eizenija Aldermane told DIENA, that only the information about the Citizenship Law text is outdated, but the presented objectives are still up-to-date. Diena

Juris Bojars, the leader of the

Juris Bojars, the leader of the Latvian Social Democratic Party, has drafted a new Citizenship Law which would be in conformity with the principles of the nation state. According to Mr. Bojars, the major shortcoming of the present law is that it does not promote the repatriation of the Latvians. There is a little chance that the Saeima might adopt a new Citizenship Law. Diena, Chas

Panorama Latvii interviews the Deputy State Secretary of the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Aivars Ronis about the Latvian - Russian relations. According to Mr. Ronis Russia is busy with getting financial support from the Western countries, therefore there is nothing new in its relations with Latvia.