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.

Press Report

Minister for European Union Affairs Aleksandrs Kirsteins told

Minister for European Union Affairs Aleksandrs Kirsteins told "DIENA" that he believed recent interest toward the problem of non-citizens in Latvia to be a result of Russia's pressure on the USA during the Helsinki summit. Mr. Kirsteins believes that Russia uses the issue of Russian-speakers to disguise its strategic interests in the Baltic region. He thinks that Latvia's admission to the EU would depend on its economic progress and not on the Citizenship Law. Mr. Kirsteins suggested to study the reasons for the lack of interest toward obtaining citizenship among non-citizens. Head of the Latvian Institute of Foreign Policy Atis Leins said that the problem of non-citizens was used by the EU as a pretext for not admitting Latvia, the country being Russia's neighbor. Mr. Leins said the he was surprised by the fact that the UN allocated huge amounts to language problems and ignored the possibility of repatriating Latvia's non-citizens. Statistical data shows that emigration from Latvia has decreased tremendously from 53,130 in 1992 to 9,999 in 1996. The Naturalization Board has worked out a new program for history tests. Currently, the changes suggested by the Board are reviewed by the Ministry of Education. Diena