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.

• Interview with the Head of the Naturalisation Board
• Possible political choices of recently naturalised Latvian residents
• Chas: only if Latvian non-citizens have the right to participate in municipal elections Latvia can be called a democratic country
• Participants of the rally ask to give Latvian non-citizens the right to participate in municipal elections
• Social Integration Minister discusses societal integration issues in Latvia with the Russian Ambassador to Latvia
• Headquarters for the Defence of Russian Language Schools announced its future protest activities against the minority education reform
• Two men calling students to take part in the protest meetings against the minority education reform detained
• Vesti Segodnya comments on the Framework Document on the Strengthening of Civil Society in Latvia
• Book on human rights published in Latvia
• Report on the implementation of EU basic rights in Latvia in 2003 notes that Latvia experiences serious violations in the field of human rights
• Interview with MP Peteris Tabuns

Latvijas Avize features an interview with the Head of the Naturalisation Board Eizenija Aldermane. Eizenija Aldermane looks back at the first years of the Naturalisation Board and her assignment for the post. She reports that within 10 years since naturalisation was launched 3506 persons have been refused naturalisation. When talking about the present situation, the Head of the Board says that due to the increasing number of applications for naturalisation, the Board is working in an extreme regime: the capacity of the Board is to serve 15,000-16,000 people a year, while last year the Board worked with 21,000 applicants. She believes that such tempo will continue 4-5 years and after that the tempo will depend on the situation in the labour market. When asked about the strengthening of the Citizenship Law, Eizenija Aldermane believes that specific norms or national programme, which would provide unified requirements regarding Latvian language proficiency, should be developed. Eizenija Aldermane confirms that now the level of Latvian language proficiency of people who are applying for Latvian citizenship is low – about 25% of applicants are not able to pass a language test first time. She is also concerned about increasing attention paid to people who are recently naturalised – so called ‘new citizens. She believes that it is an awkward term and that only the term citizens should be used irrespectively of a place and time of the acquisition of citizenship.

Yesterday the rally organised by the United Congress of the Russian Community in Latvia (OKROL in Russian) took place at the building of the delegation of the European Commission to Latvia. Participants asked to give Latvian non-citizens the right to participate in municipal elections.

Yesterday the rally organised by the United Congress of the Russian Community in Latvia (OKROL in Russian) took place at the building of the delegation of the European Commission to Latvia. Participants asked to give Latvian non-citizens the right to participate in municipal elections. Chas

Telegraf writes that in four last years 39,691 persons have acquired Latvian citizenship through naturalisation. The newspaper wanders on the influence of these ‘new citizens on a political situation in the country after municipal elections and asks views of several sociologists and political scientists. The majority of experts believe that ‘new citizens will vote on the basis of parties ethnicity, while the former Integration Minister Nils Muiznieks states that also a right-wing party Latvias Way could receive support of ‘new citizens.

Chas prints an article on the situation of non-Latvians, in particular that they do not have the right to participate in municipal elections. The author of the article believes that elections in which one third of the Latvias population does not have the right to participate may not be called democratic and argues that all Latvias residents who have lived in Latvia till 15 October 1991 should have the right to participate in elections.

The Special Assignment Minister for Social Integration Ainars Latkovskis held a meeting with the Russian Ambassador to Latvia Viktor Kaluznij. The officials discussed a number of societal integration issues, including the ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. The officials agreed to have meetings on regular basis. The main goals of these meetings will be discussions of social integration issues in Latvia.

The Special Assignment Minister for Social Integration Ainars Latkovskis held a meeting with the Russian Ambassador to Latvia Viktor Kaluznij. The officials discussed a number of societal integration issues, including the ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. The officials agreed to have meetings on regular basis. The main goals of these meetings will be discussions of social integration issues in Latvia. Latvijas Avize, Telegraf

Yesterday the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian Language Schools announced its future plans and presented a video-clip against the minority education reform. The Headquarters will organise a protest meeting against the minority education reform on 10 February at the building of Saeima.

Yesterday the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian Language Schools announced its future plans and presented a video-clip against the minority education reform. The Headquarters will organise a protest meeting against the minority education reform on 10 February at the building of Saeima. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Yesterday two men calling students to take part in protests against the minority education reform were detained. The two men agitated students of the Anninmuiza Secondary School to take part in protest activities. The two men could not present any identification documents, therefore they were taken to a police precinct to draw up the protocol.

Yesterday two men calling students to take part in protests against the minority education reform were detained. The two men agitated students of the Anninmuiza Secondary School to take part in protest activities. The two men could not present any identification documents, therefore they were taken to a police precinct to draw up the protocol. Rigas Balss

Vesti Segodnya comments on the Framework Document on the Strengthening of Civil Society in Latvia developed by the Secretariat of the Special Assignment Minister for Social Integration. The author of the article argues that no civil society is possible if one third of the countrys population are non-citizens. The author of the article concludes that in fact no funding is needed to develop a consolidated civil society, but first of all a sincere wish of the government to develop a society where all its members have equal rights should be present.

The report on the implementation of EU basic rights in Latvia in 2003 notes that Latvia experiences serious violations in the field of human rights. Although in Latvia human rights are mainly associated with minority rights, the report indicates violations in other areas of human rights as well: violence in family, violence against children, cruel attitudes towards inmates, etc.

The report on the implementation of EU basic rights in Latvia in 2003 notes that Latvia experiences serious violations in the field of human rights. Although in Latvia human rights are mainly associated with minority rights, the report indicates violations in other areas of human rights as well: violence in family, violence against children, cruel attitudes towards inmates, etc. Neatkariga, Vesti Segodnya

Diena reports that a new book on human rights ‘International Norms and Human Rights in Latvia: Abstraction or Reality by professor Ineta Ziemele has been published.

Latvijas Avize’s editor-in-chief interviews MP Peteris Tabuns (FF/LNIM). Peteris Tabuns agrees with the editor-in-chief that there are only two MPs in Saeima who continue to talk about decolonisation and naturalisation – him and Juris Dobelis. The MP warns that the current naturalisation speed is critical and in couple years ‘we will come to a critical point – already now there are 25 red MPs in Saeima.’ Tabuns is convinced that national issue should be raised again, however, he notes that ‘Latvians have become too inert.’

Latvijas Avizes editor-in-chief interviews MP Peteris Tabuns (FF/LNIM). Peteris Tabuns agrees with the editor-in-chief that there are only two MPs in Saeima who continue to talk about decolonisation and naturalisation – him and Juris Dobelis. The MP warns that the current naturalisation speed is critical and in couple years ‘we will come to a critical point – already now there are 25 red MPs in Saeima. Tabuns is convinced that national issue should be raised again, however, he notes that ‘Latvians have become too inert.