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
of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies

• Union for Human Rights in United Latvia is not allowed to continue its activities
• Chas: the next year budget of the Secretariat of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration was reduced
• Teachers of Russian language and literature from Latvia go on a study visit to Russia

Rigas Balss reports that the Union for Human Rights in United Latvia is not allowed to continue its activities because now it consists of only one political party – Solidarity. The newspaper points out that in the case of liquidation of the Union the political party Solidarity will not be able to use the Russian abbreviation of the Unions name which has a very strong political value among Russian-speaking voters. Some sociologists believe that now the strongest among former members of the Union is the Peoples solidarity party led by Janis Jurkans, but the situation could change if one of the political parties will use the former abbreviation of the Union.

Chas reports that the budget of the Secretariat of the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration for the next year will be 2,8 million LVL. The budget was reduced for the amount of 35 000 LVL.

Chas provides information about the study visit of the teachers of Russian language and literature from Latvia to Moscow and St.Peterburg. Last year 156 people participated in the same training programme, which is funded by the Russian government.