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.

• Hospital requested a pregnant women asylum seeker to provide a letter of warranty that she will pay for puerperal help
• Two right wing politicians criticize the fact that ice hockey players of the club Rigas Dinamo wore playsuits with players names written in Russian
• State Border Guard Service detained three Latvian citizens for illegal transportation of foreign citizens over Latvian border
• Monitoring: ethnic non-Latvians and non-citizens are the groups most often targeted by exclusionary rhetoric of MPs
• Senate of the Supreme Court submitted an application to the Constitutional Court requesting abolition of time limitation for registration of Latvian citizens living abroad

NRA reports about a case when a pregnant woman - asylum seeker - one month before the delivery was asked by a hospital to provide a letter of warranty that she will pay for puerperal help or the hospital will not accept her. Thanks to involvement of an NGO Shelter Save Home the hospital employees were informed that free puerperal help should be granted to the asylum seekers as well as first aid.

Two right wing politicians Girts Valdis Kristovskis (Civic Union) and Dzintras Abikis (FF/LNIM) criticize the fact that ice hockey players of the club Riga’s “Dinamo” wore playsuits with their names written in Russian while playing a friendly match. Mr. Abikis stated: “I could not watch the game because I was shocked that 20 years after restoration of Latvian independence names of sportsmen in Riga are written in Russian language.” Mr. Kristovkis stated that this way, the management of “Dinamo” has insulted Latvian residents. In response, the management of Riga’s “Dinamo” explained that the players wore the same T-shorts which they usually wear when playing in Russia’s Continental Hockey League and this time, these T-shirts helped to distinguish players of “Dinamo” from the opposing team. 

Two right wing politicians Girts Valdis Kristovskis (Civic Union) and Dzintras Abikis (FF/LNIM) criticize the fact that ice hockey players of the club Rigas Dinamo wore playsuits with their names written in Russian while playing a friendly match. Mr. Abikis stated: I could not watch the game because I was shocked that 20 years after restoration of Latvian independence names of sportsmen in Riga are written in Russian language. Mr. Kristovkis stated that this way, the management of Dinamo has insulted Latvian residents. In response, the management of Rigas Dinamo explained that the players wore the same T-shorts which they usually wear when playing in Russias Continental Hockey League and this time, these T-shirts helped to distinguish players of Dinamo from the opposing team. Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

The State Border Guard Service detained three Latvian citizens for illegal transportation of foreign citizens over Latvian border. The persons were detained when transporting two Pakistanis and two Bangladeshis to the border. The foreigners were placed in the Olaine camp for illegal immigrants.

The State Border Guard Service detained three Latvian citizens for illegal transportation of foreign citizens over Latvian border. The persons were detained when transporting two Pakistanis and two Bangladeshis to the border. The foreigners were placed in the Olaine camp for illegal immigrants. Vesti Segodnya

According to the monitoring of speeches of MPs conducted by the Centre for Public Policy “Providus”, ethnic non-Latvians and non-citizens are the groups most often targeted by exclusionary rhetoric of MPs. The speeches by deputies of the faction For Human Rights in United Latvia are the most inclusive and include wide range of groups such as minorities, while speeches of deputies of the For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM are the most exclusionary.

According to the monitoring of speeches of MPs conducted by the Centre for Public Policy Providus, ethnic non-Latvians and non-citizens are the groups most often targeted by exclusionary rhetoric of MPs. The speeches by deputies of the faction For Human Rights in United Latvia are the most inclusive and include wide range of groups such as minorities, while speeches of deputies of the For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM are the most exclusionary. Latvijas Avize

The Senate of the Supreme Court decided to submit application to the Constitutional Court of Latvia requesting abolition of time limitation for registration of Latvian citizenship of descendants of Latvian citizens living abroad and willing to keep double citizenship. Legislation currently in force envisages that those Latvian citizens who left Latvia as refugees or were deported during Soviet times and their descendants can register as Latvian citizens. Those who registered before the deadline of 1 July 1995 were allowed to keep their present (foreign) citizenship, while those who register after the deadline have to denounce their citizenship of a foreign country. The Senate of the Supreme Court took the decision because of a court case of a Latvian family which emigrated from Latvia during the Soviet times and currently holds both German and Latvian citizenship, yet have to struggle to secure the right to Latvian citizenship to their child.

The Senate of the Supreme Court decided to submit application to the Constitutional Court of Latvia requesting abolition of time limitation for registration of Latvian citizenship of descendants of Latvian citizens living abroad and willing to keep double citizenship. Legislation currently in force envisages that those Latvian citizens who left Latvia as refugees or were deported during Soviet times and their descendants can register as Latvian citizens. Those who registered before the deadline of 1 July 1995 were allowed to keep their present (foreign) citizenship, while those who register after the deadline have to denounce their citizenship of a foreign country. The Senate of the Supreme Court took the decision because of a court case of a Latvian family which emigrated from Latvia during the Soviet times and currently holds both German and Latvian citizenship, yet have to struggle to secure the right to Latvian citizenship to their child. Latvijas Avize