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.

• Peteris Tabuns (FF/LNIM) elected as the Head of the Saeimas Citizenship Law Implementation Committee
• FHRUL will draw attention of the NATO member countries to the situation with non-citizens in Latvia
• Chas reports that the Consultative Council of Ethnic Minorities has held its first meeting

Yesterday, Peteris Tabuns MP, member of the nationalist party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM was elected as the Head of the Saeima Citizenship Law Implementation Committee. As reported, pre-election program of the FF/LNIM included calls for suspension of naturalisation, reduction of the number of applicants for citizenship, withdrawal of citizenship from disloyal persons, and facilitation of deportation of persons who are not willing to be integrated into Latvian society. Despite the protests of human rights experts Janis Smits, MP, member of Latvia’s First Party/ Latvia’s Way coalition, notorious for his homophobic statements, was elected as the Head of the Human Rights Committee.

Yesterday, Peteris Tabuns MP, member of the nationalist party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM was elected as the Head of the Saeima Citizenship Law Implementation Committee. As reported, pre-election program of the FF/LNIM included calls for suspension of naturalisation, reduction of the number of applicants for citizenship, withdrawal of citizenship from disloyal persons, and facilitation of deportation of persons who are not willing to be integrated into Latvian society. Despite the protests of human rights experts Janis Smits, MP, member of Latvias First Party/ Latvias Way coalition, notorious for his homophobic statements, was elected as the Head of the Human Rights Committee. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf, Diena

On the eve of the NATO summit in Riga, the Saeima faction For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL) is planning to send letters of appeal to the Embassies of NATO Member States to draw their attention on deprivation of rights and discrimination of non-citizens and Russian speaking residents of Latvia.

On the eve of the NATO summit in Riga, the Saeima faction For Human Rights in United Latvia (FHRUL) is planning to send letters of appeal to the Embassies of NATO Member States to draw their attention on deprivation of rights and discrimination of non-citizens and Russian speaking residents of Latvia. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Chas reports that the Advisory Council of Ethnic Minorities of the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration has held its first meeting. The Council includes 20 representatives of Russian, Belorussian, Ukrainian, German, Roma, Estonian, Lithuanian, Uzbek, Arab and other minority groups. The Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Oskars Kastens has stated that the first main task of the Council will be presentation of the official report on implementation of the Framework Convention for Protection of National Minorities.