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.

• FF/LNIM proposes to deprive municipal deputys mandate if a deputy has poor state language skills
• Vesti Segodnya reportson the main priorities of the IUMSILS for 2007
• Head of the Naturalisation Board Eizenija Aldermane: cancelling of visa regime for non-citizens to travel within the EU might decrease number of applicants for Latvian citizenship
• Russian Minister of Defence criticizes Latvia and Estonia for attempts to rehabilitate fascism and for situation with non-citizens
• Diena features an interview with the Head of the national delegation to the Task Force for International Cooperation on the Holocaust, Remembrance and Research Gints Jegermanis

The right-wing party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM (FF/LNIM) proposes to deprive municipal deputy’s mandate if a deputy has poor state language skills. Presently, the effective legal norms stipulate that the working language in municipalities is Latvian, however, other legal norms do not stipulate Latvian language proficiency skills as obligatory requirement for municipal deputies.

The right-wing party For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM (FF/LNIM) proposes to deprive municipal deputys mandate if a deputy has poor state language skills. Presently, the effective legal norms stipulate that the working language in municipalities is Latvian, however, other legal norms do not stipulate Latvian language proficiency skills as obligatory requirement for municipal deputies. Chas, Telegraf, Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segodnya reports that the main priorities of the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration (IUMSILS in its Latvian acronym) for 2007 are further development of civil society, support for compatriots abroad, and promotion of tolerance.

The Head of the Naturalisation Board Eizenija Aldermane in an interview with

The Head of the Naturalisation Board Eizenija Aldermane in an interview with Telegraf has stated that if the draft amendments to the regulations of the EU visa regime which would stipulate granting non-citizens rights to travel within the EU without visas are adopted, the number of applicants for Latvian citizenship might decrease. However, the director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehre believes that the main reasons which hamper naturalisation are negative attitudes of society towards promotion of naturalisation and proposals of some political forces to introduce stricter measures for naturalisation. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Artis Pabriks in an interview with the daily Diena stated that the adoption of the draft amendments might increase the number of migrants from Latvia to other the EU countries. Telegraf, Diena.

Diena reports that the Russian Minister of Defence Sergey Ivanov at the meeting with the Minister of Defence of Greece has stated that Latvia and Estonia have to draw more attention on attempts to rehabilitate fascism in Latvia and Estonia. Sergey Ivanov also notes that the fact that there are hundreds of thousands non-citizens in Latvia and Estonia does not comply with the democratic standards of NATO and the EU.

Diena features an interview with the Head of the national delegation to the Task Force for International Cooperation on the Holocaust, Remembrance and Research Gints Jegermanis. Mr. Jegermanis stated that it is very important to talk about the Holocaust and to remember the past. Gints Jegermanis believed that understanding of the past events will help the governing elite to have an adequate reaction on todays manifestations of intolerance.