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

Press Report

After meting his Lithuanian colleague A.Saudargs during the session of the Baltic assembly, Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs I.Berzins considers that common political goals, similar history and united understanding of foreign policy have helped both countries to establish good neighbourly relations. Both ministers have discussed arranging of the common border and easing border-crossing procedures.

After meting his Lithuanian colleague A.Saudargs during the session of the Baltic assembly, Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs I.Berzins considers that common political goals, similar history and united understanding of foreign policy have helped both countries to establish good neighbourly relations. Both ministers have discussed arranging of the common border and easing border-crossing procedures. Neatkariga

Lauku Avize

published the whole package of documents starting with the Note of the Latvian Language Experts Commission, the High Commissioners answer, the response of the Experts Commission and the letter of the Chairman of the Saeima Commission on Education and Science Dz.Abikis. He thinks that the main task in this complicated situation was to preserve strict enough norms and give them an adequate wording thus allowing defending them in international institutions. Mr.Abikis thinks that the Commission has succeeded and no major deviation from the law has taken place. If the law is adopted, then the essential will be the fact what is the quality of the regulations on the implementation of the law, elaborated by the Cabinet of Ministers. Knowing the position of the Prime Minister A.Skele, Dz.Abikis hopes that the society will be satisfied with the final result. Representatives of Latvian Human Rights Committee inform about the appeals from Latvia addressed to the European Human Rights Court. About 100 appeals have been sent, 15 of them registered and several cases are being prepared for hearing. In one case, concerning illegal annulment of registration in the Residence Register, Latvia restored the registration before the court took any decision.

Representatives of Latvian Human Rights Committee inform about the appeals from Latvia addressed to the European Human Rights Court. About 100 appeals have been sent, 15 of them registered and several cases are being prepared for hearing. In one case, concerning illegal annulment of registration in the Residence Register, Latvia restored the registration before the court took any decision. Vesti Segodnya

A seminar on transfer of Russian speaking schools to the principal of bilingual education took place in Riga. The correspondent of

A seminar on transfer of Russian speaking schools to the principal of bilingual education took place in Riga. The correspondent of Vesti Segodnya V.Falkov doubts about the usefulness of this seminar stating that Latvian authorities are more interested in figures, how much money has been spent on this process, not about its quality. The process will turn the Russian language into something new when Latvian words have Russian endings. And due to the low birth rate the number of students is decreasing not only in Latvian but also in Russian speaking schools. There will be too many Latvian teachers. The jobless teachers will go to Russian schools to introduce the principle of bilingualism, thus ousting Russian teachers from these schools. Vesti Segodnya