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.

• Protest activities against the education reform in Riga and Liepaja
• Debate on bilingual education issues at the Saeima Education, Culture and Science Committee
• The Saeima Legal Affairs Committee has not supported draft amendments to the Criminal Law proposed by the Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK
• For Human Rights in the United Latvia (FHRUL) protests against the draft amendments to the constitution
• An article about the Open Day organized by the National Program for the Latvian Language Training
• Boris Tsilevitch: some representative of right-wing parties are trying to gain European structures support to ‘freezing the naturalization process
• Policy paper Proportion of Language Use in Minority Secondary Schools: Criteria of the Schools Readiness
• Analysis of political parties programs for the European Parliament elections

Newspapers report on the protest action against education reform held yesterday at Ratslaukums, in which about 100-150 people, mainly students and pensioners, have participated. The meeting was held despite Riga City Council’s refusal to authorize it. Several students’ groups, admitted through the back doors to the Riga City Council’s building, have met with some of the Council’s officials. The participants invited Riga City Council’s deputies to initiate moratorium on the education reform. Chairman of the Riga City Council’s Education, Youth and Sports Committee Guntars Jirgens and the Chairman of the Security and Order Committee Andrejs Vilks have called the way of organizing the meeting, and the way of getting youngsters into the building as unacceptable.  Around 150 students have also participated in the protest procession in Liepaja.

Newspapers report on the protest action against education reform held yesterday at Ratslaukums, in which about 100-150 people, mainly students and pensioners, have participated. The meeting was held despite Riga City Councils refusal to authorize it. Several students groups, admitted through the back doors to the Riga City Councils building, have met with some of the Councils officials. The participants invited Riga City Councils deputies to initiate moratorium on the education reform. Chairman of the Riga City Councils Education, Youth and Sports Committee Guntars Jirgens and the Chairman of the Security and Order Committee Andrejs Vilks have called the way of organizing the meeting, and the way of getting youngsters into the building as unacceptable. Around 150 students have also participated in the protest procession in Liepaja. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Chas, Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya

Yesterday the FHRUL MP Jakovs Pliners has demonstratively left the session of the Saeima Education, Culture and Science Committee.  During discussion on bilingual education issues, Pliners has once again tried to advocate for increasing the number of Latvian language lessons in minority schools to six lessons per week, at the same time allowing to study other subjects in the native tongue, but his proposal was met with the numerous objections, after which he has left the session. For example, director of the National Program for the Latvian Language Training (NPLLT) Aija Priedite believes that such ‘mechanical’ increase in the Latvian language lessons’ number would only discourage students.

Yesterday the FHRUL MP Jakovs Pliners has demonstratively left the session of the Saeima Education, Culture and Science Committee. During discussion on bilingual education issues, Pliners has once again tried to advocate for increasing the number of Latvian language lessons in minority schools to six lessons per week, at the same time allowing to study other subjects in the native tongue, but his proposal was met with the numerous objections, after which he has left the session. For example, director of the National Program for the Latvian Language Training (NPLLT) Aija Priedite believes that such ‘mechanical increase in the Latvian language lessons number would only discourage students. Chas

The Saeima Legal Affairs Committee has decided not to support amendments to the Criminal Law, which stipulated penalties for the public call to administrative and criminal violations. The Saeima Defense and Interior Committee will also examine the proposed amendments.

The Saeima Legal Affairs Committee has decided not to support amendments to the Criminal Law, which stipulated penalties for the public call to administrative and criminal violations. The Saeima Defense and Interior Committee will also examine the proposed amendments. Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya

The Coordination Council of the parliamentary group For Human Rights in the United Latvia has distributed a protest statement against the draft amendments to the constitution, which stipulate the right of the EU citizens to vote on municipal elections. The parliamentary group points to the fact that the draft amendments ignore recommendations of international organizations to grant rights to participate in municipal elections to the non-citizens. According to FHRUL, there is a contradiction between Satversme and the Framework convention on Protection of National Minorities, since constitutional provisions stipulate Latvian language as the only language of communication with the municipalities. The FHRUL statement invites Latvian residents to participate in pickets against these constitutional provisions on 12 June.

The Coordination Council of the parliamentary group For Human Rights in the United Latvia has distributed a protest statement against the draft amendments to the constitution, which stipulate the right of the EU citizens to vote on municipal elections. The parliamentary group points to the fact that the draft amendments ignore recommendations of international organizations to grant rights to participate in municipal elections to the non-citizens. According to FHRUL, there is a contradiction between Satversme and the Framework convention on Protection of National Minorities, since constitutional provisions stipulate Latvian language as the only language of communication with the municipalities. The FHRUL statement invites Latvian residents to participate in pickets against these constitutional provisions on 12 June. Vesti Segodnya prints the full text of the statement. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Latvijas Vestnesis prints an article about the Open Day organized by the National Program for the Latvian Language Training (NPLLT) on 27-28 May. The newspaper points to the small overall number of visitors, and notes that except for the Minister for Education Juris Radzevics, no state officials or MPs have shown up for the opening. The head of NPLLT pedagogical and publishing department Brigita Silina pointed to the insufficient governments support of the NPLLT activities.

According to the People’s Harmony Party MP Boris Tsilevitch, some representatives of the Latvian right-wing parties are trying to test reaction of the EU community to the possible decision of Latvian government to ‘freeze’ the naturalization process. Boris Tsilevich allegedly names OSCE and European Council as his sources.

According to the Peoples Harmony Party MP Boris Tsilevitch, some representatives of the Latvian right-wing parties are trying to test reaction of the EU community to the possible decision of Latvian government to ‘freeze the naturalization process. Boris Tsilevich allegedly names OSCE and European Council as his sources. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya informs about the policy paper of the leading researcher of the Public Policy Center PROVIDUS Marija Golubeva Proportion of Language Use in Minority Secondary Schools: Criteria of the Schools Preparedness, which is published on the internet site www.politika.lv. Marija Golubeva concludes that the policy makers have not elaborated system of indicators for the midterm policy achievements evaluation.

Diena features an article of the researcher of the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology Sigita Zankovska-Odina who analyzes parties programs for the European Parliaments elections. Almost all political parties included ethnic issues in the programs. The researcher concludes that although opportunities for parties to raise ethnic issues in the European Parliament are very limited, the parties are generous with promises and slogans in order to gain voters support.