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

• Article about the current situation concerning the implementation of the bilingual education reform in 2004
• FHRUL submits a petition to the Constitutional Court to protest against discriminatory language regulations
• Yesterday Special Task Minister of the Societal Integration Nils Muiznieks participated in the Chas on-line discussion forum
• Societal integration seminar in Germany
• Status of Latvian non-citizens after Latvias accession to the EU
• National TV dismissed anchors of Russian news Regina Locmele and Tatyana Vinnika
• FHRUL MP Aleksandr Golubov has been appointed secretary of the Saeima Committee on the Implementation of the Citizenship Law
• Problems with teaching history in Latvia

Diena

features a long article about the current situation concerning the implementation of the bilingual education reform in 2004 which stipulates the switch of minority secondary schools to instruction in Latvian. Latvian Education Minister Karlis Sadurskis reassures that the reform is not cancelled, however, there is no clear implementation plan for the year of 2003. The Minister also promises individual implementation timeframes for those schools, which experience difficulties with the preparation of the reform, however, he cannot yet exactly define what will be done to ensure the successful implementation of the reform. The Education Ministry official Evija Papule reports that a new curriculum for minority secondary schools was elaborated this year. It provides for three curriculum blocks: block A consists of mandatory subjects and should be taught in the state language; block B are subjects which are selected by each school and one third of these subjects may be taught in a minority language; block C are special subjects which are selected by the school, students and parents, and all C block subjects may be taught in a minority language. In total 25-30% of subjects can be taught in a minority language. Although the Ministry of Education is convinced that the implementation of the reform will proceed, school principles and school boards and still concerned about its implementation.

FHRUL pledges to protect the rights of Russian-speaking viewers and listeners through court proceedings. Today FHRUL will submit a claim to the Constitutional Court to review discriminatory language regulations stipulated by the Law on Radio and Television for commercial radio and TV stations. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf, Panorama Latvii

Yesterday Special Task Minister of the Societal Integration Nils Muiznieks participated in the Chas on-line discussion forum. He stated that when he accepted the offer to become the Minister, he had a clear vision about his responsibilities and duties and if after three months there will be no support from the government, I will think over, what I am doing here.

Lauku Avize

reports that a seminar about societal integration took place in Germany and was attended by a number of societal integration experts and officials from Latvia, such as Head of the Naturalisation Board Eizenija Aldermane, head of the Association for the Support of Russian Language Schools in Latvia Igor Pimenov, head of the Integration Department at the Ministry of Justice Reinis Aboltins, pro-minority NGO member Boris Kolchanov, researchers Svetlana Dyackova and Aija Priedite.

Telegraf

columnist Anna Novickaya discusses the future status of Latvian non-citizens after Latvias accession to the EU. She stresses that neither Latvian nor European officials are able to provide a clear answer about the status of these people. She reproaches them for ignoring hundreds of thousands people.

The administration of the National TV dismissed anchors of the news programme in the Russian language Regina Locmele and Tatyana Vinnika stating that they would be more suited for moderating analytical discussion shows. However, right now the administration could not say when these shows will be produced. The administration also assured that very soon the Russian news aired by the National TV would be more oriented to the specific interests of its audience. Telegraf

FHRUL MP Aleksandr Golubov has been appointed secretary of the Saeima Committee on the Implementation of the Citizenship Law. This is the only Saeima Committee headed by members of the opposition – the chairperson of the Committee is Peoples Party MP Anta Rugate. Diena

Telegraf

discusses the situation concerning teaching of history at schools in Latvia. There is no unified and clear history curriculum at schools in Latvia, which results in a number of shortcomings, such as, many schools skipping the theme of the Holocaust. Another problem is that some Russian schools use the set regulations that one third of the history classes must be devoted to the history of Latvia, but two thirds to any other history, and devotes these two thirds to teaching only the history of Russia.