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

• Lauku Avize about amendments to Law on Education
• Interview with Karlis Sadurskis, Minister of Education and Science
• Chas on Russia and minority rights in Latvia
• Visiting Russian experts on education reform
• Interview with Egils Levits, representative of Latvia at European Court of Human Rights
• Article on Latvian language and minority issues

Lauku Avize reports the decision of the Saeima to abolish the education law provision that stipulates that instruction in all state-funded secondary schools and vocational schools should be only in Latvian starting in 2004. The Cabinet of Ministers will determine the proportion of state language vs other language.

Lauku Avize interviews Karlis Sadurskis, Minister of Education and Science. The minister criticizes opponents of the education reform and mentions that a Latvian delegation recently provided a report to the UN Committee [on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination] in Geneva, and did not receive any negative feedback in the area of education. The minister is not concerned about the ratification of the Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, because he believes that Latvia fulfils all requirements in the field of education, and then some. The question of ethnic integration, according to him, is already taken off the agenda.

Russia has intensified discussion of minority rights problems in Latvia and Estonia before these states become members of EU, according to

Russia has intensified discussion of minority rights problems in Latvia and Estonia before these states become members of EU, according to Chas. According to the newspaper, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is concerned about the education reform in Latvia, the politicisation of economical cooperation between the countries and the decision of the Baltic states governments to provide territory for the military infrastructures of NATO.

Vesty Segodnya interviews visiting Russian experts Dmitry Ivaschintsov , the coordinator of International Association of Russian Culture and Igor Udalov, the legal consultant, about education reform in Latvia. The experts agree that the reform is not ready for implementation and may have to be postponed. They also express concern about the future of the Russian minority in Latvia.

Neatkariga Rita Avize interviews Egils Levits, the representative of Latvia at European Court of Human Rights. Levits believes that 256 submissions form residents of Latvia over the last year is an moderate number and does not indicate that there would be a large amount of human rights violations.

Diena prints an article by Aigars Kimenis, independent publicist, on national, Latvian-language and minority issues in connection with Latvias accession to the EU.