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.

• State Language Centre turns to FF/LNIM for support
• Interview with the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Latvia Robert Schuddeboom
• Former official of the Riga City Council about the minority education reform
• Meeting in the support for the Russian Community will take place on 30 September

Representatives of the State Language Centre turned to FF/LNIM claiming that the Centre experiences a political pressure. The Centre claims that after it started to inspect the usage of the state language at the National Railway, the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia has complained to the Centre about illegitimacy of their inspections, while members of the People’s Harmony Party have complained to the Minister of Justice. The representative of the State Language Centre notes that the National Railway is the company, which is fined most often for breeching the State Language Law. A member of FF/LNIM promised to initiate draft amendments, which would provide bigger fines for breeching the State Language Law.

Representatives of the State Language Centre turned to FF/LNIM claiming that the Centre experiences a political pressure. The Centre claims that after it started to inspect the usage of the state language at the National Railway, the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia has complained to the Centre about illegitimacy of their inspections, while members of the Peoples Harmony Party have complained to the Minister of Justice. The representative of the State Language Centre notes that the National Railway is the company, which is fined most often for breeching the State Language Law. A member of FF/LNIM promised to initiate draft amendments, which would provide bigger fines for breeching the State Language Law. Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segodnya talks to the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Latvia Robert Schuddeboom about tolerance and integration of society in the Netherlands and Latvia. The Ambassador shares experience and practices of integration of his country, while regarding the situation in Latvia, the Ambassador says that Latvian legislation concerning minority education and citizenship corresponds to international norms.

Chas talks to member of the Latvian Association for Support of Schools with Russian Language (LASHOR) Jelena Matyakubova who has been also working for the Department of Education of the Riga City Council for three years. However, she resigned from the post at the end of August. Jelena Matyakubova states that it is too early to talk about democracy in Latvia because ‘the governing elite is not ready to listen to views which do not correspond with official views and majority takes decisions for minorities. She is concerned that in 2007 students of Russian and Latvian schools will have to take examinations in accordance with the same standards for both schools. She argues that it is not fair that students of Russian schools will have to take examinations in Latvian, which is not their native language.

Chas reports that on 30 September a meeting in the support for the Russian community will take place in Riga. Although the Riga City Council refused to issue permission, the Riga Administrative Court ruled that the Council should issue permission. The goal of the meeting is to draw attention of society and politicians to issues faced by Russians: mass non-citizenship, preservation of the native language and others. The organiser of the meeting is the union For Human Rights in the United Latvia. Vesti Segodnya