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.

• Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Ainars Latkovskis on ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
• Newspapers continue to write about the court proceeding on compliance of the minority education reform with the Constitution of Latvia and international standards
• Saeima Legal Affairs Committee supported amendments to the Immigration Law
• Yesterday the Petition Committee of the European Parliament started to review a complaint submitted by Jurijs Petropavlovskis
• Vesti Segodnya reports on the meeting of members of the Saeima Subcommittee on Society Integration with the director of the Latvian Centre For Human Rights and Ethnic Studies Ilze Brands Kehris
• Russian official: USA President George W. Bush will meet with representatives of the Russian-speaking community during his visit to Latvia
• Protest action against the implementation of minority education reform in Latvia will take place in Tallin

Yesterday the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Ainars Latkovskis stated ‘Latvia could ratify the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities with such reservations which were made by Estonia.’ However, he stressed that this is his personal opinion and not the opinion of the working group. Estonia defined that ‘a national minority may be composed only of the citizens of Estonia who reside on the territory of Estonia, who maintain longstanding, firm and lasting ties with Estonia, who are distinct from Estonians on the basis of their ethnic, cultural, religious or linguistic characteristics and who are motivated to preserve their cultural traditions, religion or language, which constitute the basis of their common identity’.

Yesterday the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Ainars Latkovskis stated ‘Latvia could ratify the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities with such reservations which were made by Estonia. However, he stressed that this is his personal opinion and not the opinion of the working group. Estonia defined that ‘a national minority may be composed only of the citizens of Estonia who reside on the territory of Estonia, who maintain longstanding, firm and lasting ties with Estonia, who are distinct from Estonians on the basis of their ethnic, cultural, religious or linguistic characteristics and who are motivated to preserve their cultural traditions, religion or language, which constitute the basis of their common identity. Telegraf

Newspapers continue to write about the court proceeding, which reviewed compliance of the minority education reform with the Constitution of Latvia and international standards.

Newspapers continue to write about the court proceeding, which reviewed compliance of the minority education reform with the Constitution of Latvia and international standards. Neatkariga Rita Avize prints an article by the lawyer Elizabete Krivoca, who believes that it was possible to prevent many problems if the state had provided a real possibility for stakeholders to participate in political decision taking process. The lawyer notes that the state also avoids providing clearly formulated final goals of the reform: the Representative of Saeima at the court Gunars Kusins stated that the effective proportion of languages of instruction at minority schools is only a temporary phase and the final goal is that Latvian is the only language of instruction, while the Minister of Education and Science Inese Druviete stressed that the effective language proportion is a final stage of the reform. The author of the article concludes that the decision of the court will show if there are civic society and democracy in Latvia. Neatkariga Rita Avize, Latvijas Avize

Yesterday the Saeima Legal Affairs Committee supported amendments to the Immigration Law. The amendments stipulate that when a foreigner receives a residence permit in Latvia, s/he should present the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs a signed declaration which confirms that s/he respects the Latvian language, culture and traditions and will pass the Latvian language exam.

Yesterday the Saeima Legal Affairs Committee supported amendments to the Immigration Law. The amendments stipulate that when a foreigner receives a residence permit in Latvia, s/he should present the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs a signed declaration which confirms that s/he respects the Latvian language, culture and traditions and will pass the Latvian language exam. Vesti Segodnya

Yesterday the Petition Committee of the European Parliament started to review a complaint submitted by Jurijs Petropavlovskis, member of the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia and defender of Russian-language schools. Jurijs Petropavlosvskis complained on the refusal of the Latvian government to grant him Latvian citizenship. The government refused to grant Jurijs Petropavlovskis Latvian citizenship arguing that Jurijs Petropavlovskis is disloyal to the Latvian state.

Yesterday the Petition Committee of the European Parliament started to review a complaint submitted by Jurijs Petropavlovskis, member of the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia and defender of Russian-language schools. Jurijs Petropavlosvskis complained on the refusal of the Latvian government to grant him Latvian citizenship. The government refused to grant Jurijs Petropavlovskis Latvian citizenship arguing that Jurijs Petropavlovskis is disloyal to the Latvian state. Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Telegraf

Vesti Segodnya reports on a meeting of representatives of the Saeima Subcommittee on Society Integration with the director of the NGO Latvian Centre For Human Rights and Ethnic Studies Ilze Brands Kehris. The newspaper writes that Ilze Brands Kehris stated that ‘Latvias integration policy has reached the point when it should be re-evaluated. She believes that measures should be taken to deal with Anti-semitism and Islam phobia. While the member of the subcommittee Peteris Tabuns (For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM) argued that a moratorium on naturalisation should be established because the growing number of ‘new citizens who are not loyal to Latvia willlead to conflict.

‘USA President George W. Bush will meet with representatives of the Russian-speaking community during his visit to Latvia,’ yesterday announced the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Russian State Duma Konstantin Kosatchev. He refers to the information sources in the US House of Representatives and the US Department of State. According to Kosatchev, George Bush will announce that the formation mono-ethnic societies in the Baltic States is not acceptable. The Russian official also claims that the US president will express his attitude ‘towards the attempts to idealise Nazism in Latvia and the attempts to revise the consequences of the World War II.’

‘USA President George W. Bush will meet with representatives of the Russian-speaking community during his visit to Latvia, yesterday announced the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Russian State Duma Konstantin Kosatchev. He refers to the information sources in the US House of Representatives and the US Department of State. According to Kosatchev, George Bush will announce that the formation mono-ethnic societies in the Baltic States is not acceptable. The Russian official also claims that the US president will express his attitude ‘towards the attempts to idealise Nazism in Latvia and the attempts to revise the consequences of the World War II. Chas, Telegraf

A protest action against the implementation of minority education reform in Latvia is planned to be held in Tallinn (Estonia) this Saturday. The organiser of the protest action is a youth organisation of the Russian Party of Estonia.

A protest action against the implementation of minority education reform in Latvia is planned to be held in Tallinn (Estonia) this Saturday. The organiser of the protest action is a youth organisation of the Russian Party of Estonia. Vesti Segodnya