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

• Nils Muiznieks joined the Latvian First Party
• Article by the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration about integration
• Two-day conference Russians in Latvia – Russians in Europe

The Special Task Minister for Societal Integration Nils Muiznieks joined the Latvian First Party. The chairman of the Board of the Latvian First Party Ainars Slesers said that the party will take full responsibility about the integration policy implemented by Nils Muiznieks.

The Special Task Minister for Societal Integration Nils Muiznieks joined the Latvian First Party. The chairman of the Board of the Latvian First Party Ainars Slesers said that the party will take full responsibility about the integration policy implemented by Nils Muiznieks. Diena, Telegraf

Lauku Avize features an article by Nils Muiznieks, the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration. The Minister replies to the criticism about his work. He stresses that the opinions about integration are very different. Nils Muiznieks explains that he is open for cooperation regarding the implementation of the education reform. He believes that it is necessary to maintain the dialogue with the opponents of the education reform. Regarding the criticism about the number of employees and the budget of the Secretariat, he stresses that the Secretariats budget for nine month in 2003 was 286 018 LVL and that state institutions never before had had such a small budget. He stresses that all employees of the Secretariat were appointed as a result of competition. The Minister explains that the ideology of his Secretariat is based on the governments declaration, the Society Integration programme, international human rights standards and the Constitution, which state that the Latvian is the only state language. In the conclusion Nils Muiznieks states that it is impossible to change resentment, alienation, passivity, fear about the loosing of identity and the language usage in such a short time. According to Nils Muiznieks social integration is a long process to strengthen the cooperation, the participation, the position of the Latvian language as the only state language and the feeling of affiliation to Latvia.

The two-day conference “Russians in Latvia – Russians in Europe” will be organised by the NGO D.V.I.N.A. with financial assistance of the Danish embassy about the future of Russian speaking minority after Latvia’s EU membership.

The two-day conference Russians in Latvia – Russians in Europe will be organised by the NGO D.V.I.N.A. with financial assistance of the Danish embassy about the future of Russian speaking minority after Latvias EU membership. Vesti Segodnya, Chas