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.

• Minister of Justice: there are no plans to change the naturalisation procedure
• Committee of the European Parliament adopts recommendations on observation of minority and non-citizens rights in the EU
• Project Director of the Baltic Institute of Social Sciences Inese Supule about a possibility of ethnic conflict in Latvia
• BBC World Service journalist Angus Roxburgh responds to the criticism of his article on implementation of the minority education reform in Latvia
• Latvijas Avize prints an article about the Riga Belarussian Elementary School

‘The Cabinet of Ministers is not planning to change the naturalisation procedure or to suspend the naturalisation process as such,’ stated the Minister of Justice Solvita Aboltina yesterday, responding to a wish to suspend the naturalisation process expressed by some politicians and organisations.

‘The Cabinet of Ministers is not planning to change the naturalisation procedure or to suspend the naturalisation process as such, stated the Minister of Justice Solvita Aboltina yesterday, responding to a wish to suspend the naturalisation process expressed by some politicians and organisations. Vesti Segodnya features opinion of the head of Saeima Subcommittee on Social Integration Andris Berzins, who is also convinced that the naturalisation procedure should not be changed, and that such a step would not promote society integration. The MP is also concerned about a possible opening of the Citizenship Law, as it could cause sharp discussions in the Parliament. Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

Yesterday the Committee of Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs of the European Parliament adopted several recommendations concerning observation of minority rights in the EU, and rights of the non-citizens of Latvia and Estonia. The EU member states and the European Commission are recommended to extend the non-citizens rights, among other also granting those voting rights in municipal elections. The MEPs also call the European Commission to create a working group for studying the mass non-citizenship issues, while EU member states are asked to speed up the naturalisation process. The Committee recommends Latvia to ratify the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities without reservations, as well as to accede to the European Charter of Regional or Minority Languages.

Yesterday the Committee of Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs of the European Parliament adopted several recommendations concerning observation of minority rights in the EU, and rights of the non-citizens of Latvia and Estonia. The EU member states and the European Commission are recommended to extend the non-citizens rights, among other also granting those voting rights in municipal elections. The MEPs also call the European Commission to create a working group for studying the mass non-citizenship issues, while EU member states are asked to speed up the naturalisation process. The Committee recommends Latvia to ratify the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities without reservations, as well as to accede to the European Charter of Regional or Minority Languages. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Chas prints an interview with the Project Director of the Baltic Institute of Social Sciences Inese Supule about a possibility of an ethnic conflict in Latvia. According to Supule, a growing competition between the ethnic communities can be observed, and further development of the situation depends upon decisions made by politicians. The researcher believes that at present, politicians often provoke the ethnic conflict. At the same time, Supule points to the results of the Institutes study which indicate that Latvians and Russians share similar life styles and both groups are oriented toward a good relationship. When commenting on implementation of the minority education reform, Supule notes that the stakeholders (minority students, parents and teachers) were from the very beginning not involved in the discussions about the reform.

Chas prints a response of the BBC World Service journalist Angus Roxburgh to the Latvian journalists critics of his article ‘Latvian Lessons Irk Russians. As reported, the article mainly reflected opinion of the teacher of history of the Riga Secondary School Nr.22, Natalia Skestere. She believes that Russian language is being gradually squeezed out of schools in Latvia, and will soon be spoken only at home. The teacher admitted that she teaches her subject only in Russian, which is a violation of the Law on Education. Skestere argued that Latvian language proficiency of Russian students is not sufficient to comprehend complex ideas. The BBC journalist also quoted the Foreign Affairs Minister of Latvia Artis Pabriks, who believes that the minority education reform provides minority children with an opportunity to speak two languages fluently. Angus Roxburgh stresses that the goal of the article was not to criticise the teacher, or the Latvian government, but to demonstrate objective facts, among them the real problems of the Russian-speaking students, caused by the reforms implementation. According to the journalist, teachers of the Riga Secondary School Nr.22 are trying to do their best, but they are forced to use Russian in lessons frequently as students do not understand the material in Latvian.

Latvijas Avize prints an article about the Riga Belarussian Elementary School. According to the schools director Anna Ivane, the goal of the school is to introduce the students to the Belarussian culture, at the same time achieving their successful integration into Latvian society.