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

In a letter addressed to all government-forming parties, the Prime Minster called for drafting the proposals for amending of the coalition agreement. Yesterday the representatives of the Union of Social Democrats and the For Fatherland and Freedom agreed on drafting a co-operation agreement.

In a letter addressed to all government-forming parties, the Prime Minster called for drafting the proposals for amending of the coalition agreement. Yesterday the representatives of the Union of Social Democrats and the For Fatherland and Freedom agreed on drafting a co-operation agreement. Diena

The Director of the Centre of Human Rights and Ethnic Studies Nils Muiznieks believes that for the formation of the integrated society in Latvia it is important that the Latvian history is not taught from the ethnocentric point of view. It is important to pay more attention to the teaching of the history of national minorities in Latvia, and the Latvian history should be studied in the context of the European history. According to the Director of the Soros Fund -Latvia program ”Changes in Education” Guntis Catlaks, the main problem is the qualification of the history teachers who are poorly acquainted with the methodology of the history teaching. The history teacher of Zolitude gymnasium J. Shcherbina thinks that the schools, especially schools of national minorities, lack the methodological materials in order to form the unified understanding about the Latvian history.

The Director of the Centre of Human Rights and Ethnic Studies Nils Muiznieks believes that for the formation of the integrated society in Latvia it is important that the Latvian history is not taught from the ethnocentric point of view. It is important to pay more attention to the teaching of the history of national minorities in Latvia, and the Latvian history should be studied in the context of the European history. According to the Director of the Soros Fund -Latvia program Changes in Education Guntis Catlaks, the main problem is the qualification of the history teachers who are poorly acquainted with the methodology of the history teaching. The history teacher of Zolitude gymnasium J. Shcherbina thinks that the schools, especially schools of national minorities, lack the methodological materials in order to form the unified understanding about the Latvian history. Chas

Yesterday the Advisor of the Moscow Mayor Mr. Pereligin arrived in Latvia to grant “the scholarships of the Mayor of Moscow for the countryman in Latvia.” According to the information provided by

Yesterday the Advisor of the Moscow Mayor Mr. Pereligin arrived in Latvia to grant the scholarships of the Mayor of Moscow for the countryman in Latvia. According to the information provided by Chas, in Latvia 45 people received these scholarships.

SM publishes the official statement by the representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs A. Rachmanin on the NATO summit in Washington, in which he, inter alia, states that no country received the the invitation inscribed with the its name to join the NATO. Still, Moscow expresses the worries about the open door policy without geographic limitations. The Russian opinion about the enlargement of the NATO is well known and it has not changed, Mr. Rahmanin states. SM

Today the Saeima will vote on the dismissal of the Director of National Human Rights Office O. Bruvers.

Today the Saeima will vote on the dismissal of the Director of National Human Rights Office O. Bruvers. TheNeatkariga calls this voting the political auction of the post of the NHRO Director.

Joining the discussion about the social integration in Latvia, a journalist S.Benfelde argues that the Latvian population is divided not only according to the cleavege of the Russian speaking vs. Latvian speaking people, but also according to the different historical memory of different people. She thinks that the conviction that the one’s own welfare is related with the future and security of the state, might become the link uniting all groups of people.

Joining the discussion about the social integration in Latvia, a journalist S.Benfelde argues that the Latvian population is divided not only according to the cleavege of the Russian speaking vs. Latvian speaking people, but also according to the different historical memory of different people. She thinks that the conviction that the ones own welfare is related with the future and security of the state, might become the link uniting all groups of people. Jauna Avize

In the context of the social integration and the language situation in Latvia the Ph.D. student of the Latvian University D. Baltaiskalna defines the various myths existing in the society, including“ the myth exaggerating the quality of the Russian language,” “myth about the Russian nation as the one strengthening the friendship and brotherhood,” “myth about the Russian poeple’s inability to learn another language,” “myth about the Latvians as the nationalists.”

In the context of the social integration and the language situation in Latvia the Ph.D. student of the Latvian University D. Baltaiskalna defines the various myths existing in the society, including the myth exaggerating the quality of the Russian language, myth about the Russian nation as the one strengthening the friendship and brotherhood, myth about the Russian poeples inability to learn another language, myth about the Latvians as the nationalists. Rigas Balss

Mr. D Nikolayev, Chairman of the National Committee of the Russian self-government of Latvia- national cultural autonomy, hopes that the implementation of the State Integration Program will not lead to even bigger estrangement of Russians from the Latvian state, and the conformism will not become the forced behaviour of Russians. Mr. Nikolayev believes that the new law on cultural autonomy providing the formation of the authoritative structures of the ethnic minorities would create the understanding about the hierarchy of the national representation in Latvia which in turn, would strenghten the ability of Russians to compete.”

Mr. D Nikolayev, Chairman of the National Committee of the Russian self-government of Latvia- national cultural autonomy, hopes that the implementation of the State Integration Program will not lead to even bigger estrangement of Russians from the Latvian state, and the conformism will not become the forced behaviour of Russians. Mr. Nikolayev believes that the new law on cultural autonomy providing the formation of the authoritative structures of the ethnic minorities would create the understanding about the hierarchy of the national representation in Latvia which in turn, would strenghten the ability of Russians to compete. Diena