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.

• About 500 people took place in the protest action against the implementation of the minority education reform yesterday
• Saeima turns down the amendments to the Law on Education submitted by left-wing parties
• First Baltic Channel fined for violating the State Language Law
• Recently established parties try to attract voters by giving nationalistic promises
• FHRUL and FF/LNIM reveal their programmes for municipal elections in Riga
• Russian language environment in Daugavpils attracts foreign students and investors

Yesterday about 400 – 500 (according to various sources) people took part in the protest action against the implementation of the minority education reform at the buildings of Saeima and the Ministry of Education and Science. The Minister of Education and Science Ina Druviete met with participants of the protest meeting. Ina Druviete stated that she is ready to hold discussions with all schools that experience difficulties or want to talk to her. The Minister stressed that in fact it is not a reform but a transfer to one unified education system. While the former education minister Karlis Sadurskis in conversation with a

Yesterday about 400 – 500 (according to various sources) people took part in the protest action against the implementation of the minority education reform at the buildings of Saeima and the Ministry of Education and Science. The Minister of Education and Science Ina Druviete met with participants of the protest meeting. Ina Druviete stated that she is ready to hold discussions with all schools that experience difficulties or want to talk to her. The Minister stressed that in fact it is not a reform but a transfer to one unified education system. While the former education minister Karlis Sadurskis in conversation with a Rigas Balss journalist argued that protests are a part of pre-election campaign of left wing parties and after the municipal elections there will be no protests. Diena, NRA, Latvijas Avize, Rigas Balss, Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Yesterday Saeima turned down the amendments to the Law on Education submitted by the left-wing parties. The proposed amendments stipulated that self-administrative bodies of education institutions would have the right to choose subjects to be taught in the state language.

Yesterday Saeima turned down the amendments to the Law on Education submitted by the left-wing parties. The proposed amendments stipulated that self-administrative bodies of education institutions would have the right to choose subjects to be taught in the state language. Latvijas Avize, Diena, Vesti Segodnya

The National Radio and TV Council has imposed a fine in the amount of LVL 500 (EUR 715) on the commercial TV channel First Baltic for violating the State Language Law. The channel aired two movies in Russian without subtitles. Besides, the Council is deciding whether broadcast of this TV channel should be suspended for a week because the Channel did not provide the subtitles in Latvian for commercials.

The National Radio and TV Council has imposed a fine in the amount of LVL 500 (EUR 715) on the commercial TV channel First Baltic for violating the State Language Law. The channel aired two movies in Russian without subtitles. Besides, the Council is deciding whether broadcast of this TV channel should be suspended for a week because the Channel did not provide the subtitles in Latvian for commercials. Telegraf

Diena comments on recently formed parties running for municipal elections. The daily writes that the two parties - Latvias Forge and To Our Latvia – which were formed just couple months ago try to attract support of nationalistically thinking people by giving promises to work on the behalf of the Latvian people and the state.

Rigas Balss prints a discussion between two candidates for post of Mayor of the Riga City Council Jurijs Petropavlovskis (the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia and also a member of the Headquarters for the Defence of Russian Language Schools) and Janis Birks(FF/LNIM). Janis Birks reproaches the Headquarters and Jurijs Petropavlovskis in particular for involving children in protest activities. Jurijs Petropavlovskis replies that this question is not related to the discussion topic [municipal elections] and adds that ‘unfortunately, right now I do not have any time to work for the Headquarters. When asked why people should vote for FHRUL or FF/LNIM, Jurijs Petropavloskis says that those people who want a ‘normal market situation in the country should vote for FHRUL, while Janis Birks states that people should vote for FF/LNIM because ‘we have always defended the interests of Latvians.

Vesti Segodnya prints an article about Daugavpils – the second biggest city in Latvia. Daugavpils is the city where the number of Latvians is the lowest in comparison to other cities. The member of the Daugavpils City Council Ilya Podkolzins argues that national minorities are the wealth of Latvia and that after Latvias accession to the EU and thanks to the big Russian-speaking community in the city, the number of foreign students who want to study the Russian language in Daugavpils has significantly increased. He adds that the amount of foreign investments has increased as well.