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.

• Minister of Culture Sarmite Elerte presented the draft National Identity and Society Integration Guidelines for 2012-2018
• Security Police (SP) will pay special attention to hate speech in mass media
• Diena prints an article by a Roma researcher about the obstacles to successful integration of Roma

Yesterday, the Minister of Culture Sarmite Elerte (Unity) presented the draft National Identity and Society Integration Guidelines for 2012-2018. According to the Minister, the aim of the Guidelines is a strong, united, national and democratic community which could be achieved by focusing on civil society and integration, national identity, and common social memory. The Guidelines foresee that the Latvian language, culture and national identity, European democratic values, and Latvia’s unique cultural space should become the unifying factors for the Latvian nation. The Guidelines divide Latvia’s inhabitants into those who have accepted ethnic Latvian values and identity, ethnic minorities and long-term immigrants. Non-citizens are included in the third category. The Guidelines stress the need for a common historical memory, and highlight that the majority of  residents who moved to Latvia during the Soviet times have “incorrect” historical memory due to their differing perception of soviet occupation period. The document also envisages the formation of a “team of historians” tasked with rapid response to “inappropriate interpretation” of the Latvian history. Daily

Yesterday, the Minister of Culture Sarmite Elerte (Unity) presented the draft National Identity and Society Integration Guidelines for 2012-2018. According to the Minister, the aim of the Guidelines is a strong, united, national and democratic community which could be achieved by focusing on civil society and integration, national identity, and common social memory. The Guidelines foresee that the Latvian language, culture and national identity, European democratic values, and Latvias unique cultural space should become the unifying factors for the Latvian nation. The Guidelines divide Latvias inhabitants into those who have accepted ethnic Latvian values and identity, ethnic minorities and long-term immigrants. Non-citizens are included in the third category. The Guidelines stress the need for a common historical memory, and highlight that the majority of residents who moved to Latvia during the Soviet times have incorrect historical memory due to their differing perception of soviet occupation period. The document also envisages the formation of a team of historians tasked with rapid response to inappropriate interpretation of the Latvian history. Daily Vesti Segodnya notes that the draft Guidelines were criticized by integration experts already in the early stages of their elaboration mostly for their assimilative tendencies. However, hardly any comments have been taken into consideration. The Ministry of Culture plans to hold public discussions about the draft Guidelines in different Latvias regions until the end of August. Discussions are to coincide with the pre-election campaign period to the parliamentary elections to be held on 17 September. Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize, Chas

Latvijas Avize reports that the Security Police (SP) will pay special attention to the hate speech in mass media due to forthcoming parliamentary elections. The SP will monitor media content evaluating whether the publications incite ethnic hatred, hatred against social or religious groups, and whether mass media, especially the Internet, are being used for the expression of extremist opinions and calls for violence. According to the SP, criminal proceedings concerning the incitement to ethnic hatred have been initiated during 2011.

Diena prints an article by a psychologist and a Roma researcher Andris Tertats about the obstacles to the successful integration of Roma. According to A.Tertats, the overwhelming majority of Roma lives in poverty and has no social insurance. He believes that the state and municipalities should engage Roma in employment, e.g. providing at least 100 job vacancies for Roma in each city.