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 Review

Press Review

EU Commissioner van den Broek and OSCE High Commissioner van der Stoel paid special attention to employment restrictions for non-citizens. Although

EU Commissioner van den Broek and OSCE High Commissioner van der Stoel paid special attention to employment restrictions for non-citizens. Although Saeima Chairman Alfreds Cepanis told Mr. van der Stoel that the differences between the rights of citizens and non-citizens were being gradually abolished, recent developments do not prove it to be true. The Saeima declined amendments to the Law on Pharmacies that would have allowed non-citizens to run pharmacy businesses. The amendments were opposed by "Tevzemei un Brivibai", "Latvijai" and some "Latvijas Cels" deputies. The State Human Rights Bureau considered the list of 60 differences between the rights of citizens and non-citizens submitted by the "People's Harmony Faction". The Bureau found out that several employment restrictions contradicted international conventions acceded to by Latvia. Among those are bans on non-citizens="" employment as firemen, private detectives, aircraft maintenance specialists, aircraft pilots, issuance of licenses of pharmacy or veterinary pharmacy owners to non-citizens, as well as a ban on non-citizens working as lawyers or lawyers' assistants. Head of the Saeima Human Rights Committee Antons Seiksts told "DIENA" that the Committee was analyzing the restrictions on non-citizens' rights for taking certain jobs and positions. Mr. Seiksts believes that, according to a Chicago Convention, only a citizen can head an aircraft crew. Still, he admits that non-citizens could be permitted to work as members of a crew. Saeima member Vladlen Dozortsev ("Peoples' Harmony") says that the Saeima blocks all the attempts of resolving the problem of non-citizens and will not abolish the restrictions. He believes that current policies toward non-citizens to be an obstacle to the country's advancement toward EU membership. "Latvijas Cels" Deputy Karlis Leiskalns believes that the number of restrictions should have been made as low as possible. That would minimize their interest toward obtaining citizenship. Diena

Boris Tsilevich in an article for

Boris Tsilevich in an article for "SM" stresses that EU Commissioner van den Broek during his visit to Latvia also played attention to the problem of non-citizens. Tsilevich believes that Latvia will have to change its policy toward non-citizens to be accepted as a potential EU member by the European community. Latvia, being a member of the 1961 Convention on the reduction of statelessness, has to grant citizenship to all individuals born on its territory. Latvian politicians ignored the requirement explaining that its non-citizens cannot be considered stateless since they can obtain Russian citizenship and the Convention cannot be applied to them. Now the same argument can be used against Latvia's admission to the EU. The EU is not likely to welcome a country with a large portion of its residents being potential Russian citizens. Tsilevich points at the general increase of interest toward the problem of non-citizens among politicians and in the media. He believes that the Government is laying the basis for reviewing naturalization principles. Boris Tsilevich predicts the growth of the Social-Democrats' influence in the Saeima and their possible alliance with "Tevzemei un Brivibai". Still, he also does not exclude the possibility of "Latvijas Cels", "Saimnieks" and smaller parties forming a coalition and choosing a more liberal policy toward non-citizens. This, according to Tsilevich, would improve the economic situation in the country and stimulate non-citizens to undergo naturalization. SM

Member of the

Member of the "Tevzemei un Brivibai" Party Council Olgerts Dzenitis in an article for "DIENA" tries to prove the idea of a political nation not to be acceptable to Latvia. He believes that the Latvian and the Russian communities have opposite interests. Ethnic Latvians are interested in maintaining democratic independent Latvia with the predominance of Latvian culture. According to Mr. Dzenitis, a large part of the non-Latvian community represents "the great Eastern empire" and is looking for the ways to weaken Latvia's independence. Its goal is the forming of a satellite state controlled by Russian capital. Mr. Dzenitis believes that the majority of Latvians would not welcome the forming of a political nation, since it would not meet the interests of the Latvian community. He points at the lack of respect toward the state among ethnic Latvians. Their distrust is caused by the crisis in the legal system. According to Mr. Dzenitis, the crisis is a result of providing citizenship to non-Latvians and attempts to integrate non-Latvians in the Latvian society. Diena