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.

• Naturalisation Board celebrates its 10th anniversary
• Newspapers comment on pre-election promises for the Russian electorate
• Russian-language newspaper criticises the presentation of the Latvian history in the recently published history book
• Headquarters for the Defence of Russian Language Schools collects signatures in support for the draft law on minority education
• Interview with the director of the Romani ethnic classes Gunita Grinvalde

The Naturalisation Board celebrates its 10th anniversary this month. According to the information provided by the Board, 100,000 naturalisation applications has been received since the formation of the institution and 85,352 persons, including 10,770 children, were naturalised. The number of non-citizens in Latvia has dropped from 735,000 in 1995 to 452,000 in 2005. Sergejs Ancupovs, advisor of the former Minister of Education and Science Juris Radzevics, comments on naturalisation in Latvia and argues that ‘reserved attitude of non-citizens towards naturalisation should be more related to their feeling of being offended rather than political processes.

The Naturalisation Board celebrates its 10th anniversary this month. According to the information provided by the Board, 100,000 naturalisation applications has been received since the formation of the institution and 85,352 persons, including 10,770 children, were naturalised. The number of non-citizens in Latvia has dropped from 735,000 in 1995 to 452,000 in 2005. Sergejs Ancupovs, advisor of the former Minister of Education and Science Juris Radzevics, comments on naturalisation in Latvia and argues that ‘reserved attitude of non-citizens towards naturalisation should be more related to their feeling of being offended rather than political processes. Latvijas Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Russian-language newspapers comment on pre-election promises of political parties made to the Russian electorate. Zhana Kupchik (For Human Rights in the United Latvia), running for municipal elections in Jurmala, states that one of the main goals of the party will be defence of education in the Russian language. The head of FHRUL’s parliamentary group Jakovs Pliners in his interview with

Russian-language newspapers comment on pre-election promises of political parties made to the Russian electorate. Zhana Kupchik (For Human Rights in the United Latvia), running for municipal elections in Jurmala, states that one of the main goals of the party will be defence of education in the Russian language. The head of FHRULs parliamentary group Jakovs Pliners in his interview with Telegraf confirms that the main goals of his organisation is, first of all, to protect the rights of Russian-speakers, that is, right to have education in the Russian language and granting non-citizens the right to participate in municipal elections. While representatives of other political parties, interviewed by newspapers, refuse to divide voters on the grounds of their ethnicity. However, several parties have given promises which are most likely addressed to members of ethnic minorities, for instance, the Latvian First Party promised to form a department on minority issues in the Riga State Council, the Peoples Harmony Party promises to fight for granting minorities the right to communicate with municipal authorities in minority languages and soften the implementation of the minority education reform. The Latvian language newspaper Latvijas Avize is concerned that majority of minority members support the union FHRUL and warns that its bigger influence may result not only in changes in municipal policies, but also in the areas of foreign affairs, education and language.

Chas sharply criticizes the interpretation of the Latvian history by Latvian historians in the book ‘History of Latvia. XX Century. Chas claims that historians have used different methodologies to calculate the losses caused by the Nazi and the Soviet regimes and points to the usage of ‘incorrect terms in the book. The Chas columnist Leonid Fedoseyev states that the book is a ‘Russophobic version of the history. While the historian Aivars Stranga, one of the authors of the book, cancelled his visit to Russia because he received unofficial warning that he might be refused entrance to Russia, although he had received visa to Russia. The Russias internet portal www.regnum.ru comments that the historian might be denied the entrance to Russia because of his ‘anti-Semitic and Russophobic activities. Aivars Stranga had planned to participate in the presentation of the book in Moscow. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Latvijas Avize, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools collect signatures in support for the draft law developed by the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia. The draft law stipulates that segregated minority classes shall have the right to choose the language of instruction if such wish has been expressed by at least a half of students and their parents.

Headquarters for the Defence of Russian-language Schools collect signatures in support for the draft law developed by the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia. The draft law stipulates that segregated minority classes shall have the right to choose the language of instruction if such wish has been expressed by at least a half of students and their parents. Chas

Chas features an interview with the director of the Romani ethnic classes Gunita Grinvalde about educational problems of Roma in Ventspils. Gunita Grinvalde argues that insufficient Latvian language skills of many Romani children are the main reason for their low academic success at school. Gunita Grinvalde stresses that in Ventspils 40% Romani men and 70% Romani women in the age bracket 25 – 40 years are illiterate.