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

• Latvias First Party withdraws from the governing coalition
• January ratings of ministers
• Parliamentary Committee accepts new amendments to the Law on Education
• Russian criticizes Latvia in the Council of Europe
• Leader of Latvian Socialist Party Alfreds Rubiks challenges the EU accession referendum
• Daugavpils teachers open letter to the Ministry of Education and Science
• Prime Minister believes that ex-officials of the State Security Committee of the Soviet Republic of Latvia should not be barred from standing for European Parliament elections
• Project on Roma education in Valmiera
• Diena reports on Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat discussion about minority rights in Latvia and Estonia

Yesterday Latvia’s First Party informed about its withdrawal from the governing coalition, recalling its government members the Minister for Economics, the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration and the Special Task Minister for Children and Family Affairs. This move comes as a response to the Prime Minister’s dismissal of Latvia’s First Party leader Ainars Slesers from the post of the deputy Prime Minister, which the party council declared unfounded. Prime Minister Einars Repse has stated that he will continue leading a minority government, whose parties together represent 45 votes in the 100-member Saeima.

Yesterday Latvias First Party informed about its withdrawal from the governing coalition, recalling its government members the Minister for Economics, the Special Task Minister for Societal Integration and the Special Task Minister for Children and Family Affairs. This move comes as a response to the Prime Ministers dismissal of Latvias First Party leader Ainars Slesers from the post of the deputy Prime Minister, which the party council declared unfounded. Prime Minister Einars Repse has stated that he will continue leading a minority government, whose parties together represent 45 votes in the 100-member Saeima. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Latvijas Avize, Rigas Balss, Vechernaya Riga, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya, Chas

A Latvijas fakti (Latvian Facts) opinion poll indicates that the rating of Prime Minister Einars Repse has decreased from 20,5 points in December till 13,7 points in January. Other New Era party representatives’ ratings also fell.  The Minister of Education and Science Karlis Sadurskis’s popularity has decreased from -3,6 to -9,4 points and the Minister for Regional Development and Municipalities Ivars Gaters’s rating decreased from -3,6 to -9 points. However, the most popular member of government in January was the Minister for the Interior Maris Gulbis, also from the New Era, at a rating of 52,8 points.  The second and third most popular ministers remain Minister of Culture Inguna Ribena and Foreign Minister Sandra Kalniete.  Although slightly better than in December, the most negative rating in January -- -26,1 -- was retained by Deputy Prime Minister Ainars Slesers (before the recent dismissal). 

A Latvijas fakti (Latvian Facts) opinion poll indicates that the rating of Prime Minister Einars Repse has decreased from 20,5 points in December till 13,7 points in January. Other New Era party representatives ratings also fell. The Minister of Education and Science Karlis Sadurskiss popularity has decreased from -3,6 to -9,4 points and the Minister for Regional Development and MunicipalitiesIvars Gaterss rating decreased from -3,6 to -9 points. However, the most popular member of government in January was the Minister for the Interior Maris Gulbis, also from the New Era, at a rating of 52,8 points. The second and third most popular ministers remain Minister of Culture Inguna Ribena and Foreign Minister Sandra Kalniete. Although slightly better than in December, the most negative rating in January -- -26,1 -- was retained by Deputy Prime Minister Ainars Slesers (before the recent dismissal). Neatkariga Rita Avize, Telegraf, Chas

The Saeima Education, Science and Culture Committee has accepted new amendments to the Law on Education, explicitly allowing up to 40% of instruction to take place in a minority language and granting the right to choose the subjects to be taught in the minority language to the schools themselves.

The Saeima Education, Science and Culture Committee has accepted new amendments to the Law on Education, explicitly allowing up to 40% of instruction to take place in a minority language and granting the right to choose the subjects to be taught in the minority language to the schools themselves. Chas features the opinion of their audience about the education reform. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Latvijas Avize, Rigas Balss, Vechernaya Riga, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya, Chas

The Russian delegation to the Council of Europe has distributed a letter, criticizing Latvia for adopting laws that discriminate against minorities and requesting Latvia to ratify the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.

The Russian delegation to the Council of Europe has distributed a letter, criticizing Latvia for adopting laws that discriminate against minorities and requesting Latvia to ratify the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. Diena,

Leader of Latvian Socialist Party Alfreds Rubiks has applied to the Constitutional Court challenging the EU accession referendum on the basis that non-citizens could not participate in the referendum.

Leader of Latvian Socialist Party Alfreds Rubiks has applied to the Constitutional Court challenging the EU accession referendum on the basis that non-citizens could not participate in the referendum. Neatkariga Rita Avize, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya

The directors of Daugavpils schools are allegedly preparing an open letter to the Ministry of Education and Science, stating that the transition to the instruction mainly in Latvian language in this city is impossible at the moment and calling for the delay of the implementation of the education reform.

The directors of Daugavpils schools are allegedly preparing an open letter to the Ministry of Education and Science, stating that the transition to the instruction mainly in Latvian language in this city is impossible at the moment and calling for the delay of the implementation of the education reform. Latvijas Avize

Latvijas Avize features the statements of Prime Minister Einars Repse, who agrees that Latvia should not prohibit ex-officials of the State Security Committee of the Soviet Republic of Latvia to stand for the European Parliament elections. According to the Prime Minister, such a prohibition could damage the international interests of Latvia.

The project “Qualitative education for Roma children” has been launched in Valmiera. The project foresees the organization of teachers’ seminars and Roma parents’ meetings, the translation of books in Roma language and their donation to various institutions.

The project Qualitative education for Roma children has been launched in Valmiera. The project foresees the organization of teachers seminars and Roma parents meetings, the translation of books in Roma language and their donation to various institutions. Latvijas Avize

Diena reports on the discussion in the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat about the observation of minority rights in Latvia and Estonia.