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.

• OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus on the situation of minorities in Latvia
• Security Police asked the Prosecution Office to initiate criminal prosecution against a young man on charges of violation of racial equality
• Prosecutor closed a criminal process against the members of NSS who were accused in incitement to ethnic hatred
• Vesti Segodnya features an interview with a Russian linguist

The OSCE (Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe) High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus stated that there is progress made regarding the naturalisation process in Latvia since it entered the European Union. However, Rolf Ekeus noted that the ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities imposes specific obligations: “the main task is to continue to speed up naturalisation, because there is still a huge number of non-citizens in Latvia.” The Commissioner also stated that he supports the implementation of monitoring on the quality of education in national minority schools in Latvia: “my task is to follow that the reform in minority schools would not deteriorate the quality of education.”

The OSCE (Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe) High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus stated that there is progress made regarding the naturalisation process in Latvia since it entered the European Union. However, Rolf Ekeus noted that the ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities imposes specific obligations: the main task is to continue to speed up naturalisation, because there is still a huge number of non-citizens in Latvia. The Commissioner also stated that he supports the implementation of monitoring on the quality of education in national minority schools in Latvia: my task is to follow that the reform in minority schools would not deteriorate the quality of education. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize, Diena, NRA

On Friday, the Security Police asked the Prosecution Office to initiate criminal prosecution against a young man charged with violation of racial equality and limitation of human rights. As reported, in February the State Police detained the18-year-old man who burned a cross in front of the house where a dark-skinned person lives. The man admitted that he does not like dark-skinned people and that burning of the cross was a protest against his dark-skinned neighbor.

On Friday, the Security Police asked the Prosecution Office to initiate criminal prosecution against a young man charged with violation of racial equality and limitation of human rights. As reported, in February the State Police detained the18-year-old man who burned a cross in front of the house where a dark-skinned person lives. The man admitted that he does not like dark-skinned people and that burning of the cross was a protest against his dark-skinned neighbor. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize, Diena

The Prosecutor of the Riga Regional Court closed a criminal process against several leaders of the ultra-right organisation Union of National Forces (NSS in its Latvian acronym) Viktors Birze and Ainiss Sprogis who were accused in incitement to ethnic hatred. As reported, the members of the NSS in a TV show in May of 2005 called all persons who came to Latvia during the USSR’s regime to depart to their ethnic homeland. They also made offensive statements about a dark-skinned member of National Bolsheviks Benes Ayo. The members of the NSS are planning to sue the director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights Ilze Brands-Kehre (who gave her conclusion on these statements) for moral damage.

The Prosecutor of the Riga Regional Court closed a criminal process against several leaders of the ultra-right organisation Union of National Forces (NSS in its Latvian acronym) Viktors Birze and Ainiss Sprogis who were accused in incitement to ethnic hatred. As reported, the members of the NSS in a TV show in May of 2005 called all persons who came to Latvia during the USSRs regime to depart to their ethnic homeland. They also made offensive statements about a dark-skinned member of National Bolsheviks Benes Ayo. The members of the NSS are planning to sue the director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights Ilze Brands-Kehre (who gave her conclusion on these statements) for moral damage. Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya features an interview with Russian linguist Vladimir Slavkin about the situation of the Russian language in Latvia. The linguist considers that Russians in Latvia, especially the Russian mass media, must actively preserve and take care of the language because there is a big influence of other languages, such as Latvian and English.