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.

• Latvijas Avize reports about a meeting of a working group on elaboration of the guidelines for integration policy
• Vesti Segodnya prints an article about different choice of internet resources by Russian and Latvian speaking residents in Latvia
• State Border Guard Service has detained a Russian citizen who has illegally lived in Latvia for 17 years

Latvijas Avize reports about a meeting of a working group on elaboration of the guidelines for integration policy held yesterday. Members of the working group decided to ask the government to extend the deadline for elaboration of the guidelines till 1 January 2009. According to the draft guidelines elaborated by a private company hired by the Secretariat of Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration, long-term aim of integration policy in Latvia is united society established on common values. These values are independent, democratic and national Latvian state and European common values such as human dignity, freedom, solidarity, rule of law and human rights, including minority rights. Society integration is defined as a process that promotes the sense of belonging of Latvian residents towards a complex of shared values, national state and Europe trough democratic involvement and representation, mutual agreement and co-operation, dignity and non-discrimination.

Vesti Segodnya prints an article about different choice of internet resources by Russian and Latvian speaking residents in Latvia. According to the editor of Russian language version of news portal delfi.lv, there are differences in content of Russian and Latvian versions due to specific features of interests of both audiences. For instance, Russian language news portal provides greater focus on domestic news because international news in Russian language can be accessed at large number of Russian internet sites. According to the editor, comments to the news stories placed by the sites users show that opinion of Russian and Latvian speakers concerning various events, especially political, often are absolutely contrary. A recent tendency is that interethnic debates are spilling over to Sports news category. According to the article, the split between Latvian and Russian speakers is well seen in the choice of two different social networking websites most popular in Latvia – majority of ethnic Latvians prefer to communicate trough one network, while majority of Russian speakers through another.

The State Border Guard Service has detained a Russian citizen who has illegally lived in Latvia for 17 years. The person resided in the country without valid visa or residency permit since December 1991.

The State Border Guard Service has detained a Russian citizen who has illegally lived in Latvia for 17 years. The person resided in the country without valid visa or residency permit since December 1991. NRA