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.

• Consultative meeting in Riga City Council on the readiness for implementation of the education reform in Riga
• Interview with the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga
• Meeting of the Special Tasks Minister for Society Integration Nils Muiznieks and Netherlandss Minister for Immigration and Integration Rita Verdonk
• Union of Ukrainians support the Special Tasks Minister for Society Integration Nils Muiznieks
• Newspapers write about the initiative to create a database of the non-citizens, who want to naturalize but do not have money for the naturalization fee
• This year minority students of grade 9 must pass a centralized Latvian language and literature exam
• About the campaign I speak Russian
• Saeima MP Jakovs Pliners and Teacher-Methodist Valerijs Buhvalovs about the implementation of the education reform
• Philosopher Vilnis Zarins criticizes the protest actions against the education reform and non-Latvian stances
• Journalist Juris Paiders claims minority education reform puts Latvian students at a disadvantage

Newspapers write about the consultative meeting in Riga City Council on the implementation of the education reform in Riga. During the meeting the representatives of the State Education Inspection stated that there are neither financial nor pedagogical arguments due to which the transition to the tuition in Latvian language in minority schools could not be realized on 1 September 2004. Head of the inspection Zigfrids Grinpauks states that only one minority school out of 60, which are realizing minorities’ secondary education programs in Riga, has recognized that the school is not ready for implementation of the reform.

Newspapers write about the consultative meeting in Riga City Council on the implementation of the education reform in Riga. During the meeting the representatives of the State Education Inspection stated that there are neither financial nor pedagogical arguments due to which the transition to the tuition in Latvian language in minority schools could not be realized on 1 September 2004. Head of the inspection Zigfrids Grinpauks states that only one minority school out of 60, which are realizing minorities secondary education programs in Riga, has recognized that the school is not ready for implementation of the reform. Telegraf criticizes the statement of the director of the National Human Rights Office Olafs Bruvers, expressed during the meeting that the state has full rights to determine the language of tuition in state schools and that the minorities representatives can establish private schools with the minority language of instruction. Latvijas Vestnesis, Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Latvijas Avize prints an interview with the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga about the implementation of the education reform and protest actions against it. According to the president, international organizations believe that there are no problems in Latvia in the area of minority rights, and the only exception is Russia, which has an ambition to use Latvias and Estonias accession to the EU as a reason to make Russian an official language of the EU. The president also states that until now the participants at the protest actions have respected the authorities, stressing that the sanctions can follow if the line is overstepped.

Yesterday Special Tasks Minister for Society Integration Nils Muiznieks met Netherlands’s Minister for Immigration and Integration Rita Verdonk in order to discuss the experience in the area of the society integration policy in both states.

Yesterday Special Tasks Minister for Society Integration Nils Muiznieks met Netherlandss Minister for Immigration and Integration Rita Verdonk in order to discuss the experience in the area of the society integration policy in both states. Latvijas Vestnesis

The Union of Ukrainians has disseminated an open letter expressing support for the work of Special Task Minister for Society Integration Affairs Nils Muiznieks, whose resignation has been requested by the New Era. The authors of the letter believe that Nils Muiznieks is one of few politicians who are trying to work on the dialogue between ethnic minorities and the state. According to the leaders of the union A.Skalsky and V.Stefanovics, the resignation of the minister would mean the loss of the hope for Ukrainians to maintain their culture and ethnic identity and the interruption of the dialogue between the state and ethnic minorities.

The Union of Ukrainians has disseminated an open letter expressing support for the work of Special Task Minister for Society Integration Affairs Nils Muiznieks, whose resignation has been requested by the New Era. The authors of the letter believe that Nils Muiznieks is one of few politicians who are trying to work on the dialogue between ethnic minorities and the state. According to the leaders of the union A.Skalsky and V.Stefanovics, the resignation of the minister would mean the loss of the hope for Ukrainians to maintain their culture and ethnic identity and the interruption of the dialogue between the state and ethnic minorities. Chas

Newspapers comment the initiative of the NGO Prata Speks (The Strength of Mind) in collaboration with the People’s Harmony Party to create a database of non-citizens, who want to naturalize but do not have money for the naturalization fee.

Newspapers comment the initiative of the NGO Prata Speks (The Strength of Mind) in collaboration with the Peoples Harmony Party to create a database of non-citizens, who want to naturalize but do not have money for the naturalization fee. Latvijas Avize, Rigas Balss, Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Telegraf

This year minority students of grade 9 must pass a centralized Latvian language and literature exam.

This year minority students of grade 9 must pass a centralized Latvian language and literature exam. Diena

Newspapers write about the campaign “I speak Russian”, organized by the Latvian Association for the Support of Russian-language Schools and the Society of Russian-language School Teachers. The project coordinator Igors Vatolins has stressed that this is not a campaign against the Latvian language and the goal of the project is to promote pride in the Russian language and culture.  The project involves Russian-speaking students and teachers, schools’ administrations, parents and political figures  and also aims to popularize Russian language and culture among Latvians.

Newspapers write about the campaign I speak Russian, organized by the Latvian Association for the Support of Russian-language Schools and the Society of Russian-language School Teachers. The project coordinator Igors Vatolins has stressed that this is not a campaign against the Latvian language and the goal of the project is to promote pride in the Russian language and culture. The project involves Russian-speaking students and teachers, schools administrations, parents and political figures and also aims to popularize Russian language and culture among Latvians. Latvijas Avize, Rigas Balss, Chas, Telegraf

Vesti Segodnya prints an article by the MP of For Human rights in United Latvia parliamentary group Jakovs Pliners and teacher-methodologist Valerijs Buhvalovs about the implementation of the education reform. The authors, referring to the 91st paragraph of the Constitution of Latvia, which stipulates that human rights are applied without any discrimination, state that in the future even the national-radicals will have to ratify the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, which also includes minorities rights to education in their mother tongue.

Latvijas Avize features an interview with philosopher Vilnis Zarins about the protest actions against the education reform. Vilnis Zarins believes that all non-Latvians who are live in Latvia and declare their love towards Russia must realize that sooner or later they will be not only integrated but after some generations also assimilated. The philosopher also believes that Latvia would benefit if one part of ‘occupants-deserters would leave the country.

Neatkariga Rita Avize features an article by journalist and former Dienas Business editor Juris Paiders, who believes that both former and present governments of Latvia pay too much attention to the Russian community in Latvia and do not pay an adequate attention to the problems of Latvian students. The journalist regards educational policy of the Ministry of Education and Science as discriminating with regard to Latvian students because under the influence of nationalistic slogans many Latvian high school students do not learn Russian language. As a result, Latvians are less prepared for work in Riga private business sector than Russians, who generally are proficient in three languages – Latvian, English and Russian.