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

• Saeima reviews amendments to the Law on Education
• Minority students protest against the education reform
• Minister of Education and Science Karlis Sadurskis rejects a possibility to grant the rights for local governments to determine the ratio of minority language use in schools
• Representative of the Councils of Europe Parliamentary Assembly will examine the observation of the minorities right to education in their mother tongue
• Minister for Interior Maris Gulbis explains involvement of the State Police officials in gathering information on minority students
• Russia State Council adopts a call to Latvia to reject amendments to the Law on Education
• Interview with the former head of the State Language Centre Dzintra Hirsa

Today the amendments to the Law on Education, allowing up to 40% of instruction in minority language, will be reviewed by Saeima in the last reading. Governing coalition and two opposition parties – People’s Party and Latvia’s First Party – have expressed support to the amendments.

Today the amendments to the Law on Education, allowing up to 40% of instruction in minority language, will be reviewed by Saeima in the last reading. Governing coalition and two opposition parties – Peoples Party and Latvias First Party – have expressed support to the amendments. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Rigas Balss, Chas, Telegraf, Vechernaya Riga, Vesti Segodnya

Newspapers feature articles about the minority students’ protest action against the amendments to the Law on Education near the Saeima building today. Prime Minister Einars Repse and President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga have condemned  involving children in the consummation of political goals.

Newspapers feature articles about the minority students protest action against the amendments to the Law on Education near the Saeima building today. Prime Minister Einars Repse and President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga have condemned involving children in the consummation of political goals. Chas informs about meetings between students and schools administrations in several minority schools, where the school directors asked students not to participate in the protest actions. Diena, Latvijas Avize, Chas, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya

Minister of Education and Science Karlis Sadurskis rejects a possibility to grant the rights to participate in the determination of the ratio of Latvian and minority language use in minority schools to several local governments. Minister believes that there is a necessity for unified education system in the state, especially in the area of Latvian language acquisition.

Minister of Education and Science Karlis Sadurskis rejects a possibility to grant the rights to participate in the determination of the ratio of Latvian and minority language use in minority schools to several local governments. Minister believes that there is a necessity for unified education system in the state, especially in the area of Latvian language acquisition. Latvijas Avize

Representative of the Monitoring Committee of the Council’s of Europe Parliamentary Assembly Josette Durrieu and the expert on the International Law Eric Jurgens will visit Latvia in order to examine the observation of minority right to get education in their mother tongue.

Representative of the Monitoring Committee of the Councils of Europe Parliamentary Assembly Josette Durrieu and the expert on the International Law Eric Jurgens will visit Latvia in order to examine the observation of minority right to get education in their mother tongue. Chas, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya

Yesterday Minister for Interior Maris Gulbis met the members of Saeima Defence and Internal Affairs Committee and the Government Review Committee to explain  involvement of the State Police officials in gathering information about the minority students participating in the protest actions against the education reform 2004. According to Maris Gulbis, police officials just wanted to clarify the number of students who were planning to participate in the protest actions against the education reform on 22 and 23 January, so that they could prepare for order maintenance during the actions. They did not have intentions of persecuting minority students.

Yesterday Minister for Interior Maris Gulbis met the members of Saeima Defence and Internal Affairs Committee and the Government Review Committee to explain involvement of the State Police officials in gathering information about the minority students participating in the protest actions against the education reform 2004. According to Maris Gulbis, police officials just wanted to clarify the number of students who were planning to participate in the protest actions against the education reform on 22 and 23 January, so that they could prepare for order maintenance during the actions. They did not have intentions of persecuting minority students. Neatkariga Rita Avize, Latvijas Avize

Russia State Council has adopted a call to Latvia to reject amendments to the Law on Education, which stipulate the transition to Latvian as a language of instruction in all schools of Latvia. President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga has stated that she is not surprised about the adoption of such a call, but the Prime Minister of Latvia Einars Repse has evaluated it as a rude intervention in the internal affairs of Latvia.

Russia State Council has adopted a call to Latvia to reject amendments to the Law on Education, which stipulate the transition to Latvian as a language of instruction in all schools of Latvia. President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga has stated that she is not surprised about the adoption of such a call, but the Prime Minister of Latvia Einars Repse has evaluated it as a rude intervention in the internal affairs of Latvia. Latvijas Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Chas features an interview with the former head of the State Language Centre Dzintra Hirsa, who believes that education reform might not be postponed because it is essential for the society integration.