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.

Integration and Minority Information Service

Integration and Minority Information Service
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

Today the Society Integration Foundation will announce the names of organisations and municipalities, which have won in the integration projects tender. The total amount for all projects is LVL 104,000. Director of the Secretariat of the Society Integration Foundation Nils Sakss reports about projects, which are being implemented now. Eight of 22 projects are implemented in the field of education.

Today the Society Integration Foundation will announce the names of organisations and municipalities, which have won in the integration projects tender. The total amount for all projects is LVL 104,000. Director of the Secretariat of the Society Integration Foundation Nils Sakss reports about projects, which are being implemented now. Eight of 22 projects are implemented in the field of education. Chas concludes that serious amounts of money are allotted for integration projects, however, Latvian society remains a two-community society.

As of the next academic years all Russians schools should implement one of four bilingual education models.

Chas reports on the experience of one Russian school where the first model of bilingual education, that is, all subjects but the classes of the native tongue and literature, are taught in the state language. Several years ago it was an initiative of parents to introduce bilingual education at this school and now all parents are satisfied with the quality of education and the possibility to preserve their culture and language.

Vesti Segodnja

reports on the meeting of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus with high officials of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The key discussion subject was the situation of Russian-speakers in the Baltic countries. Russian officials praised the achievements of Estonia in the field of the protection of the rights of Russian-speakers and stressed that in comparison to Estonia, Latvia looks bad. HCNM Rolf Ekeus agreed that, first, the premature switch of Russian secondary schools to education in Latvian could be ineffective… Second, the Commissioner agreed that Russian should be used as a language of communication on the municipal level. Ekeus admitted that the closure of the OSCE Mission to Latvia does not mean anything and his office continues monitoring and communication with all Saeima factions. Panorama Latvii

The Department of Citizenship and Migration reports that it will start issuing the new form of citizen and non-citizen passports as of July 1 and not as of September 1 as reported before.

Neatkariga, Rigas Balss, Telegraf

Diena

reports about a study conducted by the USA Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis about NATO enlargement in the Baltic Region. The Institute concluded that the USA would benefit from the membership of Baltic states. However, NATO expects further improvement of military capacity of three countries and better relations with Russia.

Vesti Segodnja

interviews Daugavpils City Mayor Rihards Eigims. The key questions concern the social and economic situation in Daugavpils.

Vesti Segodnja

comments on the recent supplement of the New York Times about the Baltic countries. Columnist Alexandr Voyevodin notes that when Latvian politicians talk with foreign countries they use the brand Latvia with Russians, while for domestic purposes they use a completely different slogan: Latvia for Latvians.