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.

• Foreign Affairs Minister Artis Pabriks has confirmed the information about the visit of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus to Latvia
• Opinion of an official of the Ministry of Education and Science regarding a necessity to postpone the development of the Law on Minority Schools
• Foreign Affairs Minister Artis Pabriks states that the Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov should visit Latvia
• International rights lawyer Kristine Krumina evaluates the foreign policy of the Latvian Foreign Affairs Minister
• Representatives of national cultural organisations discuss societal integration issues
• Newspapers report on the performance staged by the Russian youth organisation ‘Rodina by the building of the EU delegation in Moscow

The Foreign Affairs Minister Artis Pabriks has confirmed that the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus will visit Latvia on 12 October.

The Foreign Affairs Minister Artis Pabriks has confirmed that the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus will visit Latvia on 12 October. Diena, referring to the Senior Adviser of the HCNM Falk Lange, reports that the Commissioner is planning to meet representatives of the government and discuss issues concerning the observation of minority rights. However, Falk Lange refused to comment the statement of the Russia Foreign Affairs Ministry that Russia has encouraged the OSCE Commissioner to visit Latvia. He stressed that Rolf Ekeus himself chooses countries, which he wants to visit. Diena, Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Diena looks into reasons of the postponement of the development of the Law on Minority Schools. The newspaper features opinions of several officials of the Ministry of Education and Science. According to the head of the working group, charged to draft the law, Janis Karklins, the latest decision is that the necessity of the law should be discussed by broader public, in particular, by directors of minority schools. Besides, it is planned to study the situation in minority schools after the education reform has been launched.

In his statement the Foreign Affairs Minister Artis Pabriks has noted that the Russia Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov should visit Latvia and see for himself that minority rights are observed in Latvia.

In his statement the Foreign Affairs Minister Artis Pabriks has noted that the Russia Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov should visit Latvia and see for himself that minority rights are observed in Latvia. Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Diena features an article by the international rights lawyer Kristine Krumina. In her article she evaluates the activities of the Latvian Foreign Affairs Minister Artis Pabriks. She states that Pabriks rhetoric – that minority issues of Latvia should be removed from the international agenda till 2007 - only helps the Peoples Party to refresh the necessary national image for domestic purposes. Further she refers to the ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. Kristine Krumina states that Latvia violates international law because she has signed the Convention but has postponed its ratification for almost ten years. Leading politicians have announced that Latvia will not ratify the Convention during this Saeima and, she continues, ‘it seems that both human rights activists Muiznieks and Pabriks after taking politically high level positions have changed their views and they are ready to give up ratification of the Convention which they advocated for some time ago. Kristine Krumina foresees that the Framework Convention will not be ratified during this Saeima. Therefore, minority right issues will not disappear from the international agenda. Kristine Krumina concludes that the foreign policy of the Foreign Affairs Minister Artis Pabriks has experienced first failures.

Latvijas Avize features a discussion among the chairman of the Latvian Association of National Cultural Societies Rafi Haradzanjan, chairperson of the Roma NGO ‘Nevo drom Anatolijs Berezovskis and the co-chairman of the Ukrainian organisation Viktors Stefanovics. The discussion focussed on the situation of minority cultural organisations in Latvia. The participants pointed out that views of these organisations have not always been taken into account when addressing issues concerning societal integration. Regarding the recently formed United Congress of the Russian Community in Latvia, participants noted that it could attract only underdeveloped and unstable organisations and none of the well know Ukrainian, Belorussian or Roma organisations and organisations, which are members of the Latvian Association of National Cultural Societies, did not join the recently formed organisation.

Newspapers report on the performance staged by the Russian youth organisation ‘Rodina’ near the building of the EU delegation in Moscow. The performance was staged with the key aim to protest against discrimination of Russian-speakers in Latvia. Few participants of the performance were dressed in stylised uniforms of the German army and held a poster ‘Let’s change Latvia into a concentration camp complying with EU standards.’

Newspapers report on the performance staged by the Russian youth organisation ‘Rodina near the building of the EU delegation in Moscow. The performance was staged with the key aim to protest against discrimination of Russian-speakers in Latvia. Few participants of the performance were dressed in stylised uniforms of the German army and held a poster ‘Lets change Latvia into a concentration camp complying with EU standards. Latvijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Telegraf