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.

• ECRI delegation visits Latvia
• Article by representative of the Latvian Human Rights Committee, ex-MP Vladimirs Buzajevs about integration and language policies
• 5,500 signatures collected for support of granting Russian language status of official in Latvia
• MP Karlis Sadurskis proposes to set obligatory subjects taught in EU official languages in higher education establishments

Delegation from the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) of the Council of Europe is visiting Latvia. During the visit the delegation’s members meet the state officials and representatives of NGOs.

Delegation from the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) of the Council of Europe is visiting Latvia. During the visit the delegations members meet the state officials and representatives of NGOs. Telegraf

Chas prints an article by representative of the Latvian Human Rights Committee, ex-MP Vladimirs Buzajevs about integration and language policies. Mr Buzajevs believes language examinations, ethnic protectionism and citizenship restrictionslead to ethnic differences in employment. 1/2 of ethnic Latvian employees and 1/3 of minority employees were employed at government enterprises in 2002, and greater share of minorities worked in industrial production and construction. Partially this is rooted in 1987, when ethnic non-Latvians constituted 48% of the population, their share among industrial and construction workers was 62%, and 26% in sectors of culture and arts and 17% among leadership of state committees and ministries. In 2011, per capita unemployment among minorities is 16% higher than among ethnic Latvians. The author recalls in 1997 the government stated that in order to facilitate integration of society, the Employment State Agency did not register as unemployed those jobseekers, who could not prove language proficiency. In 2011 the government refuses re-qualification training for unemployed also in Russian language, despite the fact that 39,589 officially unemployed are not able in Latvian.

According to the initiators of the collection of signatures in support of granting Russian language the status of official, they have already collected 5,500 signatures out of 10,000 required for initiation of state funded collection of signatures.

According to the initiators of the collection of signatures in support of granting Russian language the status of official, they have already collected 5,500 signatures out of 10,000 required for initiation of state funded collection of signatures. Vesti Segodnya

The MP Karlis Sadurskis (the Unity) submitted his draft amendments to the Law on Higher Education Establishments proposing that every program will have to include subjects taught in English, German, French or in other official EU languages.

The MP Karlis Sadurskis (the Unity) submitted his draft amendments to the Law on Higher Education Establishments proposing that every program will have to include subjects taught in English, German, French or in other official EU languages. Vesti Segodnya, Diena