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.

• Continuing debates in the Constitutional Court on the minority education reform
• Saeimas committees discuss minority issues with a delegation of the Assembly of Western European Union
• Interview with the head of the Naturalisation Board Eizenija Aldermane
• Head of the Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee proposes amendments to the Immigration Law
• Chas reports on results of the study ‘Ethnopolitical Tensions in Latvia: Looking for the Conflict Solution
• Proceedings of the criminal case against the Russian-language newspaper Chas for incitement to national hatred

Newspapers continue to report on court debates in the case of compliance of the minority education reform to the Constitution of Latvia and international standards. Advisor to the Special Assignments Minister for Society Integration Ilmars Mezs opposed statement of  the plaintiffs’ representative MP Boris Cilevics that implementation of minority education reform will not allow non-Latvian students to continue studies at secondary school. According to Mezs, amount of minority students continuing studies at secondary schools increased last year in comparison with the previous years. Education expert Valerijs Buhvalovs in his turn claimed that the reform lacks scientific grounds, and suggested amending the Law on Education in order to give schools a right to teach all lessons bilingually instead of observing language proportions. Director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies Ilze Brands Kehris was critical about the quality of dialogue between decision-makers and minority representatives. She also pointed to the fact that it still remains unclear, whether present language proportion is a temporary or a permanent norm.

Newspapers continue to report on court debates in the case of compliance of the minority education reform to the Constitution of Latvia and international standards. Advisor to the Special Assignments Minister for Society Integration Ilmars Mezs opposed statement of the plaintiffs representative MP Boris Cilevics that implementation of minority education reform will not allow non-Latvian students to continue studies at secondary school. According to Mezs, amount of minority students continuing studies at secondary schools increased last year in comparison with the previous years. Education expert Valerijs Buhvalovs in his turn claimed that the reform lacks scientific grounds, and suggested amending the Law on Education in order to give schools a right to teach all lessons bilingually instead of observing language proportions. Director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies Ilze Brands Kehris was critical about the quality of dialogue between decision-makers and minority representatives. She also pointed to the fact that it still remains unclear, whether present language proportion is a temporary or a permanent norm. Lavijas Avize, Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Telegaf

Newspapers report on meeting of the representatives of the Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee and the Defence and Internal Affairs Committee with the delegation of the Assembly of Western European Union (AWEU). Among other topics, granting of voting rights for non-citizens in municipal elections, naturalisation process and implementation of the minority education reform were discussed during the meeting. Representatives of the AWEU pointed to the significance of ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.

Newspapers report on meeting of the representatives of the Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee and the Defence and Internal Affairs Committee with the delegation of the Assembly of Western European Union (AWEU). Among other topics, granting of voting rights for non-citizens in municipal elections, naturalisation process and implementation of the minority education reform were discussed during the meeting. Representatives of the AWEU pointed to the significance of ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. Latvijas Vestnesis, Vesti Segodnya

Neatkariga Rita Avize prints an interview with the head of the Naturalisation Board Eizenija Aldermane. The official states that 16,064 persons passed naturalisation process last year, while 940 persons received Latvian citizenship in order of registration. There were also 1795 children of naturalised persons registered as Latvian citizens. Eizenija Aldermane foresees that present intensity of naturalisation, at the rate of more than 2,000 naturalisation applications per month, could stay unchanged for the next 12 – 18 months. When commenting on the results of the recent municipal elections, the chairperson disagrees with the commonly accepted statement about an explicitly ethnic voting, and points to the fact that in Daugavpils and Ventspils, where minorities live in substantial numbers, the so called ‘Russian parties did not received the largest amount of votes.

Head of the Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee Aleksandrs Kirsteins proposed amendments to the Immigration Law to the Saeima Legal Affairs Committee. According to Kirsteins’s proposal, foreigners arriving in Latvia for permanent residence, employment or internship should sign a declaration of loyalty to the Latvian state, as well as undertake obligations to respect Latvian culture and traditions. Furthermore, Kirsteins believes that foreigners should pass a Latvian language examination.

Head of the Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee Aleksandrs Kirsteins proposed amendments to the Immigration Law to the Saeima Legal Affairs Committee. According to Kirsteinss proposal, foreigners arriving in Latvia for permanent residence, employment or internship should sign a declaration of loyalty to the Latvian state, as well as undertake obligations to respect Latvian culture and traditions. Furthermore, Kirsteins believes that foreigners should pass a Latvian language examination. Vesti Segondnya

Chas reports on results of the study ‘Ethnopolitical Tensions in Latvia: Looking for the Conflict Solution by the Baltic Institute of Social Sciences. Referring to the results of focus-group discussions conducted during the study, the newspaper states that residents of older and middle age allow for a possibility of an open ethnic conflict.

Russian-language newspaper

Russian-language newspaper Chas informs that its editor-in-chief Ksenija Zagovorskaya was interrogated by the State Security Police as a part of the criminal investigation of incitement to ethnic hatred by Chas, initiated after complaint of the MP Aleksandrs Kirsteins. The newspaper regards the investigation as an attempt of restricting freedom of speech and opinion. Chas also sent a letter to the Prosecutors General Office, asking to initiate a criminal case against Aleksandrs Kirsteins for his statements about the necessity of ‘face punches when talking to Russians.