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

• Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly Monitoring Committee will discuss renewing the monitoring procedure on observation of minority rights in Latvia
• Russian Party does not support actions of the Headquarters for the defence of Russian-language schools
• FHRUL MP Jakovs Pliners discusses upcoming Congress against education reform
• President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga interview in Russian media about the protest actions against the education reform
• FHRUL about the decision of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Latvia to not provide the entrance visa for Russia vice speaker Dmitry Rogozin
• Latvia Socialist Party leader Alfreds Rubiks requests the cancellation of his conviction record
• Ambassador of France to Latvia Michael Foucher explains President Chiracs statements
• Russias Foreign Affairs Minister Igor Ivanov interview in Sweden about minorities in Latvia
• Three-confessional ecumenical service for harmony and peace in society
• Article on increasing ethnic strain in society

Saeima MP and delegate from Latvia to the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (CEPA)Boris Tsilevitch claims that theMonitoring Committee of the CEPA could make a decision to renew the monitoring procedure on the observation of minority rights in Latvia. Boris Tsilevitch believes that only the active intervention of international organizations could influence the problematic situation with the education reform. The Monitoring Committee will discuss the minority rights observation in Latvia in its meeting on 3 March.

Saeima MP and delegate from Latvia to the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (CEPA)Boris Tsilevitch claims that theMonitoring Committee of the CEPA could make a decision to renew the monitoring procedure on the observation of minority rights in Latvia. Boris Tsilevitch believes that only the active intervention of international organizations could influence the problematic situation with the education reform. The Monitoring Committee will discuss the minority rights observation in Latvia in its meeting on 3 March. Vesti Segodnya

The extra-parliamentary Russian Party will not participate at the Congress of the Defenders of Russian language schools of Latvia, stressing that the Congress will only represent the opinion of one part of the Russian community in Latvia. The leader of the party Mikhail Gavrilov believes that such political parties as Equality and FHRUL as well as the grouping Headquarters for the Defence of Russian Language Schools and the Congress of the Defenders of Russian language schools do not have the right to speak for all Russians in Latvia. Mikhail Gavrilov states that his party will not heed the decisions of the upcoming Congress. The members of the party also state that the destructive actions of the Headquarters, which cause the unwillingness of state officials to develop a dialogue, in fact endanger the Russian-language schools.

The extra-parliamentary Russian Party will not participate at the Congress of the Defenders of Russian language schools of Latvia, stressing that the Congress will only represent the opinion of one part of the Russian community in Latvia. The leader of the party Mikhail Gavrilov believes that such political parties as Equality and FHRUL as well as the grouping Headquarters for the Defence of Russian Language Schools and the Congress of the Defenders of Russian language schools do not have the right to speak for all Russians in Latvia. Mikhail Gavrilov states that his party will not heed the decisions of the upcoming Congress. The members of the party also state that the destructive actions of the Headquarters, which cause the unwillingness of state officials to develop a dialogue, in fact endanger the Russian-language schools. Latvijas Avize

Some 3,500 representatives from Russian-language schools could participate at the Congress of the Defenders of Russian language schools of Latvia on 6 March, claims FHRUL parliamentary group head Jakovs Pliners. He further states that comprehensive protest actions against the education reform will be discussed during the congress and an appeal to international organizations to support the struggle against the reform will be adopted.

Some 3,500 representatives from Russian-language schools could participate at the Congress of the Defenders of Russian language schools of Latvia on 6 March, claims FHRUL parliamentary group head Jakovs Pliners. He further states that comprehensive protest actions against the education reform will be discussed during the congress and an appeal to international organizations to support the struggle against the reform will be adopted. Telegraf

Newspapers reprint fragments of the interview of the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga to the Russian newspaper

Newspapers reprint fragments of the interview of the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga to the Russian newspaper Izvestya about the protest actions against the education reform and the relationship between Latvia and Russia. The President believes that the protest actions against the education reform are not related to the education reform itself, but to a desire to complicate Latvias accession to the EU. The President states that one part of parliamentary deputies attempts to create a confrontation, making no secret about the involvement of the friends from Moscow. Diena, Latvijas Avize, Telegraf, Chas

FHRUL parliamentary group has expressed incomprehension about the decision of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Latvia to refuse entrance visa for Russia’s State Council vice speaker Dmitry Rogozin. According to the statement of the party, this decision is offensive to the parliamentary group as well as their voters.

FHRUL parliamentary group has expressed incomprehension about the decision of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Latvia to refuse entrance visa for Russias State Council vice speaker Dmitry Rogozin. According to the statement of the party, this decision is offensive to the parliamentary group as well as their voters. Vesti Segodnya features an interview with the Dmitry Rogozin, who responds to the decision of the Foreign Affairs Ministry. Chas, Vesty Segodnya

Latvia Socialist Party leader Alfreds Rubiks’ lawyer Aleksandrs Ogurcovs has submitted an application to the Riga District Court requesting the cancellation of the conviction record of Alfreds Rubiks, who was convicted in 1995 for actions to overthrow the state. The leader of the Latvia Socialist Party motivates this application with the desire to stand as candidate for the European Parliament elections from the list of Socialist Party. 

Latvia Socialist Party leader Alfreds Rubiks lawyer Aleksandrs Ogurcovs has submitted an application to the Riga District Court requesting the cancellation of the conviction record of Alfreds Rubiks, who was convicted in 1995 for actions to overthrow the state. The leader of the Latvia Socialist Party motivates this application with the desire to stand as candidate for the European Parliament elections from the list of Socialist Party. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Rigas Balss, Latvijas Avize, Telegraf, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Latvijas Avize features an interview with the Ambassador of France to Latvia Michael Foucher about the statements of the President of France Jacques Chirac that the European Union should respect the concerns of Russia regarding minority rights observation in Baltic States. The ambassador states that France does not have a separate opinion about the necessary actions in the area of the observation of minority rights in Latvia. Michael Foucher points to the necessity to show Russia that the enlargement of the EU is not directed against Russia.

Newspapers reprint fragments of the article by the former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Russia Igor Ivanov, published in the Swedish newspaper

Newspapers reprint fragments of the article by the former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Russia Igor Ivanov, published in the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter about the situation of Russians in Latvia. Igor Ivanov expresses the hope that the member states of the EU and NATO will hold on to the same principles of minority rights in the Baltic states as in other states of the Central and Western Europe. Neatkariga Rita Avize, Telegraf

Leaders of largest confessions of Latvia – the Cardinal of the Catholic Church Janis Pujats, the Archbishop of the Lutheran Church Janis Vanags and the Metropolitan Aleksandrs of the Orthodox Church – are planning to officiate an ecumenical service in order to pray for harmony and peace in society. According to the religious leaders, harmony in society has been upset because of the politicized situation with the education reform.

Leaders of largest confessions of Latvia – the Cardinal of the Catholic Church Janis Pujats, the Archbishop of the Lutheran Church Janis Vanags and the Metropolitan Aleksandrs of the Orthodox Church – are planning to officiate an ecumenical service in order to pray for harmony and peace in society. According to the religious leaders, harmony in society has been upset because of the politicized situation with the education reform. Diena

Chas features an article by Maija Krumina about the increasing ethnic strain in the society between Latvian and Russian speaking communities. According to the political analyst, both the state as well as the Russian-speaking community are responsible for the present tense situation in the area of education reform, because the Russian-speaking community did not start to resist this policy until last year. She also believes that the politicization of the reform is inevitable because its goals are more political and ideological than educational. The researcher claims that the abolishment of the reform would be a positive step for Latvia as a democratic state because the reduction of the importance of ethnic integration could promote the formation of interest groups on the basis of economical and social features instead. Chas