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

Press Report

EU Commissioner van den Broek believes that the talks on the admission to the EU should be started with five Central and Eastern European countries that are better prepared for entering the organization. He maintained this point of view during his meeting with Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Birkavs in New-York. The EU Commissioner does agree that dividing candidate countries into groups would bring about a new division of Europe. In his recent article for

EU Commissioner van den Broek believes that the talks on the admission to the EU should be started with five Central and Eastern European countries that are better prepared for entering the organization. He maintained this point of view during his meeting with Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Birkavs in New-York. The EU Commissioner does agree that dividing candidate countries into groups would bring about a new division of Europe. In his recent article for "The Financial Times" Mr. van den Broek uses the terms "ins" for the countries already invited for the talks and "pre-ins" for the countries still to be invited to emphasize that the EU will have talks with all candidates at some point. Mr. Birkavs during his meeting with Mr. van den Broek stressed the fast development of Latvia that makes it difficult to draw a certain line while assessing the country's compliance with EU norms. Diena

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A "DIENA" journalist interviewed several Russian politicians and Parliament members. All of them showed concern about the slow naturalization of non-citizens in Latvia. Such a reaction is explained by the lack of means and a mechanism for supporting a large community of Russian citizens abroad. The State Duma is drafting a new law on compatriots that focuses mainly on cultural links with Baltic Russians. This shows that Russia is not planning to take any other responsibilities toward the Russian population of the Baltic states. Diena

Participants of the

Participants of the "Latvijas Cels" conference on the forming of political nation in Latvia expressed similar opinions on the naturalization process. All speakers, while suggesting different measures for improving the situation, admitted that the low naturalization rate contradicted the interests of the Latvian state. Diena

Head of the OSCE Mission to Latvia Richard Samuel in an interview stressed the role of the OSCE in providing unbiased advice to the Government. Mr. Samuel hopes that his stay in Latvia will last longer than six months of his initial appointment.

Head of the OSCE Mission to Latvia Richard Samuel in an interview stressed the role of the OSCE in providing unbiased advice to the Government. Mr. Samuel hopes that his stay in Latvia will last longer than six months of his initial appointment. Diena