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

Russian ex-military's wife Tatyana Slivenko and her representative at the European Court of Human Rights believe the adjournment announced by the court in the legal proceeding until the next sitting is needed for reaching settlement with the Latvian state. "Formally the case has now reached the stage of the settlement talks between parties," Tatyana Slivenko told BNS Wednesday. The family's lawyers have not ruled out the Latvian government will try to solve the dispute by paying a certain amount of money. But Tatyana Slivenko said "money is the last provision under the claim". The family still insists it wants the right to return in Latvia for permanent stay as well as wants its apartment be returned or an equal apartment granted in its stead. The amount of compensation demanded by Slivenko family is 400,000 Euro. Tatyana Slivenko said it is the amount the family is ready to discuss with the Latvian government.

Russian ex-military's wife Tatyana Slivenko and her representative at the European Court of Human Rights believe the adjournment announced by the court in the legal proceeding until the next sitting is needed for reaching settlement with the Latvian state. "Formally the case has now reached the stage of the settlement talks between parties," Tatyana Slivenko told BNS Wednesday. The family's lawyers have not ruled out the Latvian government will try to solve the dispute by paying a certain amount of money. But Tatyana Slivenko said "money is the last provision under the claim". The family still insists it wants the right to return in Latvia for permanent stay as well as wants its apartment be returned or an equal apartment granted in its stead. The amount of compensation demanded by Slivenko family is 400,000 Euro. Tatyana Slivenko said it is the amount the family is ready to discuss with the Latvian government. BNS

The more farmland in Latvia belongs to foreign citizens, the greater the guarantee for our country's security, Minister of Foreign Affairs Indulis Berzins told the Saeima emergency session yesterday on defending national interests in agriculture. According to Berzins, this does not mean that he openly supports selling land to foreigners, he believes however that "in view of security, we would have greater guarantees if foreigners owned, for instance, 5 percent of land in Latvia", Berzins told LETA. Foreign citizens who own land in Latvia are interested in protecting Latvia's security as "the land cannot be lifted and taken away," said the minister.

The more farmland in Latvia belongs to foreign citizens, the greater the guarantee for our country's security, Minister of Foreign Affairs Indulis Berzins told the Saeima emergency session yesterday on defending national interests in agriculture. According to Berzins, this does not mean that he openly supports selling land to foreigners, he believes however that "in view of security, we would have greater guarantees if foreigners owned, for instance, 5 percent of land in Latvia", Berzins told LETA. Foreign citizens who own land in Latvia are interested in protecting Latvia's security as "the land cannot be lifted and taken away," said the minister. BNS

Newspaper

Newspaper Lauku Avize interviewed Latvian MPs after the Presidents report on her meetings with US officials. Deputies still do not rush to amend the election laws. V.Muizniece (Peoples Party) said that the coalition parties knew Presidents position, and after her return she did not say anything new. The parties can not fulfill the Presidents wish immediately but the ruling coalition has started to work on the options how to strengthen the state language in other laws and only then, possible, to decide on abolishing the language proficiency norm. G.Krasts (FF/LNNK) said that they might not follow the directions of the President because discussions were still going on. And FF/LNNK had already submitted proposals to amend the local government election law to strengthen the state language. And the coalition council is preparing other proposals. And even then he (GK) will not be able to support abolishing the language proficiency norm because FF/LNNK has adopted in its congress a resolution not to support such amendments. Social Democrat E.Baldzens stated that they were not going to propose anything or supporting other proposals because according their opinion was that not all possibilities had been used to explain the international society and the USA why Latvia might not abolish this norm. B.Cilevich (For Human Rights in United Latvia) reminded that their faction had submitted such a proposal even before the President did, and the ruling coalition refused it. He felt sorry for the President because she had changed her position. If at the beginning Vaira Vike-Freiberga said that the election laws should be amended for being undemocratical, then now she said that the norm should be abolished in order to join NATO.

In an interview to the newspaper

In an interview to the newspaper Latvijas Vestnesis Head of DCMA M.Bicevskis said that the number of issued departure orders for persons, who have illegally come or resided in Latvia, decreased every year. It means that no uncontrolled and illegal arriving of foreigners to Latvia takes place. From January 1 the control on illegal immigration issues is handed over to the National Border Guards. Thus an efficient system is established for solving immigration issues – one institution ) is dealing with forming immigration policy and bureaucratic procedures (issuing and abolishing visas, RPs and establishing Immigrant Register but another - controls. Migration flow in Latvia is under control and the system of control is being improved. Just the legislation is lagging behind the real work. Draft Immigration law has been submitted to the government for consideration, and adopting of it is important not only for internal policy but also for foreign policy.

Some deputies of the Russian National Council (Duma) came to Riga for a conference of Orthodox politicians and gave an interview to the newspaper

Some deputies of the Russian National Council (Duma) came to Riga for a conference of Orthodox politicians and gave an interview to the newspaper Vesti Segodnya. Chairman of Duma Commission on Public and Religious Organizations V.Zorkalcev said that neither EU, NATO or other structure would change historical situation of things – Latvia would remain with Russia due to its geography, cultural links and the language that united both. Speaking about NATO Mr.Zorkalcev was negative about Latvias intention to join this organization and reminded the situation with Greece when NATO did not save the Greek island Cyprus form dividing into two parts – Greek and Turkish. But Russia would not make any aggressive plans concerning Latvia. Now it wants to build its relation with its former partners basing on its national interests.