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.

• Prime Minister Indulis Emsis about possible initiation of administrative cases against organizers of protest actions against the education reform
• About the interview of the President Vaira Vike-Freiberga to the BBC about observation of minority rights in Latvia
• On extension for ten years of prohibition to stand as candidate for the Saeima and local government elections for ex-staff of the State Security Committee
• Seminar Anti-discrimination in Europe and Latvia: from legislation to practice
• Latvian authorities revoke the denial of entry into Latvia for Russian expert on minorities issues Tatyana Poloskova
• Interview with the Ambassador of Poland to Latvia Tadeusz Fiszbach
• Article about further protest actions against the education reform
• Latvian and minority students from Ventspils schools participate at Latvian language festival

Prime Minister Indulis Emsis, after meeting with President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga, has stated that several administrative cases will be initiated about disturbances of order and violation of rights during protest actions against the education reform. According to the Prime Minister, state security institutions continue to clarify the organizers of the protest actions. Vaira Vike-Freiberga has stressed that it is unacceptable that students are involved in protest actions during scheduled  lessons. 

Prime Minister Indulis Emsis, after meeting with President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga, has stated that several administrative cases will be initiated about disturbances of order and violation of rights during protest actions against the education reform. According to the Prime Minister, state security institutions continue to clarify the organizers of the protest actions. Vaira Vike-Freiberga has stressed that it is unacceptable that students are involved in protest actions during scheduled lessons. Telegrafs, Vesti Segodnya

Newspapers write about the interview of the President Vaira Vike-Freiberga to the BBC about observation of minority rights in Latvia.

Newspapers write about the interview of the President Vaira Vike-Freiberga to the BBC about observation of minority rights in Latvia. Latvijas Avize reprints fragments of this interview. Diena, Latvijas Avize

Yesterday Saeima Legal Affairs Committee supported amendments to the law, adopted by Saeima in second reading, which stipulates the prohibition to stand as candidate for the Saeima and local government elections and to head nationally important institutions for ex-staff of the State Security Committee of the Soviet Republic of Latvia. The amendments to the law were not submitted to Saeima for review in the third reading due to the lack of quorum for a binding vote in the Committee meeting, because representatives of the People’s Harmony Party refused to vote on the amendments, considering them undemocratic.

Yesterday Saeima Legal Affairs Committee supported amendments to the law, adopted by Saeima in second reading, which stipulates the prohibition to stand as candidate for the Saeima and local government elections and to head nationally important institutionsfor ex-staff of the State Security Committee of the Soviet Republic of Latvia. The amendments to the law were not submitted to Saeima for review in the third reading due to the lack of quorum for a binding vote in the Committee meeting, because representatives of the Peoples Harmony Party refused to vote on the amendments, considering them undemocratic. Neatkariga Rita Avize, Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya

Latvijas Avize features an article about the seminar Anti-discrimination in Europe and Latvia: from legislation to practice, organized by the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies with financial support of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Netherlands. According to the director of the centre Ilze Brands-Kehre, discussions about discrimination in Latvia has become more audible, which is connected both with the issue of the application of the EU directives and with increasing comprehension of this issue in society. Although the concept of discrimination in Latvia is often automatically associated with discrimination of ethnic minorities, the conference stressed that anti-discrimination is in the interest of all actors in society and discrimination can be experienced by anyone, including ethnic majority representatives. The conference touched on issued of migration and anti-discrimination in the employment sector and included views from both employer and employee sides.

Yesterday an entrance visa to Latvia for professor and expert on minority issues of Russia Foreign Affairs Ministry’s Diplomatic Academy Tatyana Poloskova was renewed. On Tuesday, Latvian border guars had not allowed her entrance into Latvia, with the motivation that her name is included in a list of undesirable persons. Ministry of Interior spokespersons describe this incident as a technical failure which caused the entrance visa to be annulled. Tatyana Poloskova associates the initial denial of entrance by the Latvian authorities with the broadcast of Latvian TV, in which she was mentioned as an organizer of the protest actions against education reform in Latvia. The social scientist stresses that the goal of her visit was to analyze the efficiency of Russia’s police concerning its compatriots. Russian-language newspapers feature a statement of the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia about this incident.

Yesterday an entrance visa to Latvia for professor and expert on minority issues of Russia Foreign Affairs Ministrys Diplomatic Academy Tatyana Poloskova was renewed. On Tuesday, Latvian border guars had not allowed her entrance into Latvia, with the motivation that her name is included in a list of undesirable persons. Ministry of Interior spokespersons describe this incident as a technical failure which caused the entrance visa to be annulled. Tatyana Poloskova associates the initial denial of entrance by the Latvian authorities with the broadcast of Latvian TV, in which she was mentioned as an organizer of the protest actions against education reform in Latvia. The social scientist stresses that the goal of her visit was to analyze the efficiency of Russias police concerning its compatriots. Russian-language newspapers feature a statement of the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia about this incident. Telegraf refers to the head of Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee Artis Pabriks, who points to the radical expressions of Tatyana Poloskova about violation of Russians rights in Latvia and her active collaboration with the minorities political organizations in Latvia and stresses that she cannot be regarded as a neutral scientist. Neatkariga Rita Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

The official newspaper

The official newspaper Latvijas Vestnesis features an interview with the Ambassador of Poland to Latvia Tadeusz Fiszbach, who states that Polish schools in Latvia have already adapted to the conditions of the education reform and teach their children in Latvian and Polish. According to the ambassador, this is the principle that has strengthened a sense among Polish youth of common belonging to Latvia. Latvijas Vetsnesis

Chas informs about further protest actions against the education reform planned by the Headquarters for the Defense of Russian-language Schools.

Today students from Ventspils schools participate at Latvian language festival, whose purpose is to develop and improve student’s language skills and to promote the integration of minority schools’ students in a Latvian environment.

Today students from Ventspils schools participate at Latvian language festival, whose purpose is to develop and improve students language skills and to promote the integration of minority schools students in a Latvian environment. Latvijas Avize