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.

LATVIAN MEDIA REVIEW

LATVIAN MEDIA REVIEW

Germany that so far was rather reserved concerning NATO enlargement voiced Monday in a meeting of German and Baltic states foreign ministers in Riga an active support to admission of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia to the European Union and NATO. German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer voiced the opinion in the joint communiqué adopted by all four foreign ministers on Monday, Latvian Foreign Ministry press office reported. The Baltic States foreign ministers in a joint press conference voiced conviction about a positive decision of NATO member countries on admission of the three Baltic States to the alliance. Fischer told reporters "everybody is convinced of getting the invitation to join NATO in Prague and I could not lessen this optimism and I fully support it" but noted the candidate countries should carefully prepare for the upcoming summit of the alliance. Latvian Foreign Minister Indulis Berzins voiced conviction Latvia "will turn from a good [NATO] candidate country into a good member country" and Estonian Foreign Minister Kristiina Ojuland noted that admission of Estonia to NATO "will be a beginning of a new life".

Germany that so far was rather reserved concerning NATO enlargement voiced Monday in a meeting of German and Baltic states foreign ministers in Riga an active support to admission of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia to the European Union and NATO. German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer voiced the opinion in the joint communiqué adopted by all four foreign ministers on Monday, Latvian Foreign Ministry press office reported. The Baltic States foreign ministers in a joint press conference voiced conviction about a positive decision of NATO member countries on admission of the three Baltic States to the alliance. Fischer told reporters "everybody is convinced of getting the invitation to join NATO in Prague and I could not lessen this optimism and I fully support it" but noted the candidate countries should carefully prepare for the upcoming summit of the alliance. Latvian Foreign Minister Indulis Berzins voiced conviction Latvia "will turn from a good [NATO] candidate country into a good member country" and Estonian Foreign Minister Kristiina Ojuland noted that admission of Estonia to NATO "will be a beginning of a new life". BNS, Neatkariga, Lauku Avize, Latvijas Vestnesis, Telegraf, Panorama Latvii,

One more employee of the Naturalization Department has been detained who, possibly, has helped naturalization applicants to acquire Latvia's citizenship in illegal way, the Naturalization Department reported Feb. 11.

One more employee of the Naturalization Department has been detained who, possibly, has helped naturalization applicants to acquire Latvia's citizenship in illegal way, the Naturalization Department reported Feb. 11. Lauku Avize

Nikolai Tess, former official at the security ministry of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic, who has been charged with genocide, has turned to the Constitutional Court - he believes that the Criminal Code's article, on which the charges against him are based, does not comply with international laws. Tess was charged with the Criminal Code's Article 68.1 for crimes against humanity and genocide as he had participated in organizing deportations from Latvia in March of 1949.

Nikolai Tess, former official at the security ministry of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic, who has been charged with genocide, has turned to the Constitutional Court - he believes that the Criminal Code's article, on which the charges against him are based, does not comply with international laws. Tess was charged with the Criminal Code's Article 68.1 for crimes against humanity and genocide as he had participated in organizing deportations from Latvia in March of 1949. LETA, Neatkariga

Russian President V.Putin considers “mechanical expansion of NATO to be unproductive” but acknowledges that “every state has the right to choose its way to ensure security.”

Russian President V.Putin considers mechanical expansion of NATO to be unproductive but acknowledges that every state has the right to choose its way to ensure security. Neatkariga, Telegraf, Panorama Latvii,

Newspaper

Newspaper Lauku Avize writes that the attitude towards the state language in the Latvian police is just the opposite to the one in other state institutions. Many policemen do not know the state language and school graduates, who apply to the Police Academy and have not taken the Russian language test, are asked to take it there. Officials justify this with the fact that policemen mostly have to deal with Russian-speakers.

Aivars Datavs, Legal Adviser to the Saeima faction For Human Rights in United Latvia, thinks that National Radicals will use the situation with corruption in the Naturalization Board to get rid of the Head of the Board E.Aldermane because they are not satisfied with her liberal policy. Radicals even started discussing a possibility to amend the citizenship law by adding a norm stipulating that in cases when citizenship had been received illegally, it could be annulled. Speaking about the very process of naturalization, Mr.Datavs said that some breaking point in this process could be approaching. Many people want to participate in the political life of Latvia because they feel themselves to be a part of this country. And if the attitude of the state is positive, the naturalization process will speed up.

Aivars Datavs, Legal Adviser to the Saeima faction For Human Rights in United Latvia, thinks that National Radicals will use the situation with corruption in the Naturalization Board to get rid of the Head of the Board E.Aldermane because they are not satisfied with her liberal policy. Radicals even started discussing a possibility to amend the citizenship law by adding a norm stipulating that in cases when citizenship had been received illegally, it could be annulled. Speaking about the very process of naturalization, Mr.Datavs said that some breaking point in this process could be approaching. Many people want to participate in the political life of Latvia because they feel themselves to be a part of this country. And if the attitude of the state is positive, the naturalization process will speed up. Vesti Segodnya

People from Latvia willing to stay for life in Great Britain can do it easily by buying information about human rights violations in Latvia, a newspaper reported. Latvia's leading daily newspaper Diena said it Monday called on the phone to an ad placed in a local London newspaper offering to sell documents about human rights violations in Latvia. A man who answered the phone said his cooperation partner in Latvia is Latvia's Human Rights Committee and its co-chairman Genadijs Kotovs in particular. Kotovs and Latvia's Human Rights Committee head Tatyana Zdanoka have denied the possible co-operation and making profits at the cost of human rights violations. They did not rule out the human rights violations "dealer" acquired the information from the Internet and is using it for profit making. Latvia's Human Rights and Ethnic Studies Center director Nils Muiznieks told Diena that Latvia's Human Rights Committee has close ties with colleagues in London. He said it is affirmed by the fact that both Zdanoka and Ingrida Podkolzina in the case against the Latvian state at the European Court of Human Rights are represented by a lawyer from Britain.

People from Latvia willing to stay for life in Great Britain can do it easily by buying information about human rights violations in Latvia, a newspaper reported. Latvia's leading daily newspaper Diena said it Monday called on the phone to an ad placed in a local London newspaper offering to sell documents about human rights violations in Latvia. A man who answered the phone said his cooperation partner in Latvia is Latvia's Human Rights Committee and its co-chairman Genadijs Kotovs in particular. Kotovs and Latvia's Human Rights Committee head Tatyana Zdanoka have denied the possible co-operation and making profits at the cost of human rights violations. They did not rule out the human rights violations "dealer" acquired the information from the Internet and is using it for profit making. Latvia's Human Rights and Ethnic Studies Center director Nils Muiznieks told Diena that Latvia's Human Rights Committee has close ties with colleagues in London. He said it is affirmed by the fact that both Zdanoka and Ingrida Podkolzina in the case against the Latvian state at the European Court of Human Rights are represented by a lawyer from Britain. Diena