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

Yesterday Guntars Krasts met with the former government-forming fractions to discuss the possible candidates for a new Cabinet. Along with four big parties -

Yesterday Guntars Krasts met with the former government-forming fractions to discuss the possible candidates for a new Cabinet. Along with four big parties - the Democratic Party Saimnieks, Latvijas Cels, Tevzemei un Brivibai/LNNK and the Latvian Farmers Union - Mr. Krasts invited the National Reform Party, the Union of Christian Democrats and the Green Party to form the government. It is not clear whether Aleksandrs Kirsteins (National Reform Party) will remain at the post of special Minister for European Affairs, since it is planned to liquidate this office. Latvijas Cels asked for the post of the Minister of Defense. Referring to that the Christian Democratic Party announced that if the current Minister Talavs Jundzis was not offered the post of the Minister of Defense, the party would move into the opposition. The official list of the new candidates for the Cabinet will be announced on August 1. Diena, B&B

SM published an opinion of Janis Urbanovich, Member of the National Harmony Party, on the governmental changes in Latvia. According to Mr. Urbanovich, a new government under the leadership of Guntars Krasts will not bring changes into the non-citizen integration process, since “

SM published an opinion of Janis Urbanovich, Member of the National Harmony Party, on the governmental changes in Latvia. According to Mr. Urbanovich, a new government under the leadership of Guntars Krasts will not bring changes into the non-citizen integration process, since Tevzemei un Brivibai has announced the immutability of the Citizenship Law. One should not expect the speeding up of the process of naturalization, or the opening of naturalization windows. Mr. Urbanovich stressed that the majority of tax-payers in Latvia are non-citizens, therefore the Prime-Minister should find a way to keep those people in Latvia. Otherwise, the politics of hard naturalization will create serious economic problems.

DIENA in Russian starts to publish a series of articles under the heading “Citizenship”. From now on every Wednesday’s issue will have articles related to the process of naturalization and citizenship. Today DIENA publishes the information prepared by the CID on the process of naturalization that started in 1995. According to the CID, by 30 June 1997, five thousand four hundred ninety-four people have received citizenship, and some 2000 cases are under consideration.

DIENA in Russian starts to publish a series of articles under the heading Citizenship. From now on every Wednesdays issue will have articles related to the process of naturalization and citizenship. Today DIENA publishes the information prepared by the CID on the process of naturalization that started in 1995. According to the CID, by 30 June 1997, five thousand four hundred ninety-four people have received citizenship, and some 2000 cases are under consideration.

DIENA also publishes an article on an official ceremony of issuing Latvian passports to 49 people who have completed naturalization in the Vidzemes and the Latgales Districts in Riga. According to Juris Kvelde, Head of the Naturalization Department of the Vidzemes and Latgales Districts, only some 900 of 180, 000 inhabitants of the districts have applied for naturalization.

DIENA also publishes an article on an official ceremony of issuing Latvian passports to 49 people who have completed naturalization in the Vidzemes and the Latgales Districts in Riga. According to Juris Kvelde, Head of the Naturalization Department of the Vidzemes and Latgales Districts, only some 900 of 180, 000 inhabitants of the districts have applied for naturalization.