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

• Newspapers comment on the decision of the Constitutional Court to abolish the norm stipulating language restrictions in the Law on Radio and Television
• Interview with State Secretary of the Education Ministry
• Socialist party wants to form their own Saeima faction
• State President meets with MPs

Lauku Avize

comments on the decision of the Constitutional Court to abolish the norm stipulating language restrictions in the Law on Radio and Television. The columnist concludes that one concession is followed by another and this is the policy realised in many spheres in the country.

Vesti Segodnya

comments that the decision of the CC is more of a moral victory as it will not bring any practical benefit. Head of the National Radio and TV Council Ojars Rubenis proposes a new concept: introduce a ratio among TV channels and radio stations, for instance, 3 in minority languages and 10 in the state language, in particular, in the places densely inhabited by non-Latvians.

Lauku Avize

talks to the State Secretary of the Education Ministry Sarmite Vegere. She states that the reform will be implemented and insofar as it depends on her there will be no yielding.

The announced intention of the Socialist Party to form its own faction in the Saeima will make impossible the further existence of the faction that is second most popular in recent opinion polls. The FHRUL is presently composed of the Socialist Party and Equality. However, both parties lack the required number of MPs (5) to form an independent faction. Diena, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Due to the upcoming presidential elections the Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga met with MPs of ruling parties. The President has four top priorities 1) shape a positive image of Latvia; 2) achieve unity of the people and the government; 3) form an ombudsman institution; 4) raise the self-awareness of the people. When asked about her stance towards the education reform, the President did not give a clear answer, but said that words like fight and yielding should not be used when discussing the education reform. The education reform should viewed in a positive way. Chas, Diena, Vesti Segodnya, Lauku Avize