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.

• Janis Jurkans meets with Einars Repse
• The response of the Latvian First party to the vandalism act at the Pokrovs OrthodoxCemetery
• Newspapers point to the insufficient state response to the vandalism act at the Pokrovs OrthodoxCemetery
• Discussion on the letter of Russian Jewish organizations to the Prime Minister of Israel
• A seminar on the prospects of cooperation between Latvia and Russia
• About the conference on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in Strasbourg

Yesterday the chairman of the People’s Harmony Party Janis Jurkans met with the Prime Minister Einars Repse. According to the press secretary of Einars Repse, the goal of the meeting has been to talk over cooperation between the position and opposition. According to Janis Jurkans, discussion was about other issues concerning political situation in the state.

Yesterday the chairman of the Peoples Harmony Party Janis Jurkans met with the Prime Minister Einars Repse. According to the press secretary of Einars Repse, the goal of the meeting has been to talk over cooperation between the position and opposition. According to Janis Jurkans, discussion was about other issues concerning political situation in the state. Lauku Avize, Telegraf

After the vandalism act at the Pokrov’s Orthodox cemetery, the chairperson of the Latvian First party Eriks Jekabsons has distributed a statement on the necessity of preventing vandalism at cemeteries.

After the vandalism act at the Pokrovs Orthodox cemetery, the chairperson of the Latvian First party Eriks Jekabsons has distributed a statement on the necessity of preventing vandalism at cemeteries. Lauku Avize The First party is planning to invite the Minister of Interior Maris Gulbis to the Saeima and to the partys session to discuss the question about security measures at the cemeteries. Chas

Mediarespond to the vandalism act at the Pokrov’s Orthodox cemetery.

Mediarespond to the vandalism act at the Pokrovs Orthodox cemetery. Lauku Avize columnist Maris Antonevics points to the lack of public attention and insufficient official condemnation of the vandalism act at the Pokrovs Orthodox cemetery as compared with the recent anti-Semitic vandalism act the New Jewish cemetery. Rigas Balss points to the need to investigate the allegedly Satanistic case in a similar fashion as the anti-Semitic vandalism acts. Chas and Vesti Segodnya point to the lack of state support to the Pokrovs cemetery in general, and especially lack of initiative on cemetery renovation. Vesti Segodnya invites readers to help putting the cemetery back in order next Saturday.

Telegraf discusses a letter of the Russian Jewish organizations to the Prime Minister of Israel Ariel Saron. The chairman of the Latvian Council of Jewish Communities Arkady Suharenko has stated that there is certain rehabilitation of the Latvian Legion soldiers. However, he disagrees with the authors of the letter that there are the anti-Semitic tendencies and rehabilitation of Nazism in Latvia.

Yesterday a seminar “Latvia – Russia: new cooperation prospects”, organized by the Russian Tolerance Institute and the Latvian Embassy in Russia, took place in Moscow. Political scientists, economists, and representatives of state bodies have discussed prospects of cooperation between the two states after Latvia’s accession to the EU. According to

Yesterday a seminar Latvia – Russia: new cooperation prospects, organized by the Russian Tolerance Institute and the Latvian Embassy in Russia, took place in Moscow. Political scientists, economists, and representatives of state bodies have discussed prospects of cooperation between the two states after Latvias accession to the EU. According to Telegraf, the participants have discussed a possibility to establish an expert corporationto find a compromise on the most disputable topics. Lauku Avize, the Official Gazette, Telegraf, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Lauku Avize reports on the conference devoted to the five years anniversary of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, which has taken place in Strasbourg. Most participants have not supported the proposal of Boris Tsilevitch, Latvias representative to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, about granting rights to individuals to apply to the European Court of Human Rights on the basis of the Convention. The newspaper also refers to Tove Skutnabb-Kangas, the human rights expert from Denmark, who believes that extending the demanded minority rights in the area of language and education would promote integration and strengthen loyalty of Russian-speaking population in Latvia. Lauku Avize