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.

• Latvijas Avize reports about a public discussion on the draft National Identity and Society Integration Guidelines for 2012-2018 held in Riga
• Nationalists criticize, while experts agree with the statement of the Chief of the State Police that the police officers should be proficient in Russian
• Interpreters company will help to communicate with asylum seekers placed in the detention centre for illegal immigrants
• President of Latvia Andris Berzins renewed the work of the Advisory Committee for National Minorities
• Telegraf prints an interview with the leader of the nationalists union All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM, MP Raivis Dzintars

Latvijas Avize reports about a public discussion on the draft National Identity and Society Integration Guidelines for 2012-2018 elaborated by the Ministry of Culture held in Riga. Representatives of state institutions and NGOs took part in the discussion. The participants discussed the definition of the notion state nation introduced by the Minister of Culture Sarmite Elerte describing a nation which formed and established the country in which its language, culture could exist and where it could govern in a democratic way. In Latvia such nation is ethnic Latvians. Academic Leo Dribins argued that the notion state nation (Staatfolk) was introduced in Germany in XIX century and presently in used only in academic papers and none European country, accept Hungary, use it in policy papers. Discussing aims of the Guidelines, representative of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights Boris Koltchanov objected to determination of true and false social and historical memories arguing that such approach is totalitarian.

Chas reports that ethnic Latvian nationalists criticize statement made by the Chief of the State Police Ints Kuzis that police officers in Latvia should be proficient not only in Latvian but also in Russian language. Member of the nationalists union All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM Imants Paradnieks believes that requirement for Russian proficiency from police officers is unacceptable. At the same time, ex-Chief of the State Police Juris Reksna agrees with Mr Kuzis arguing that every police officer who faces Latvias reality should be proficient in Russian and English and these are normal professional skills. The acting Minister of Interior Aigars Stokenbergs believes that proficiency in foreign languages is advantage and in such cities as Daugavpils (city in the Eastern part of Latvia with the majority of Russian speaking residents) the police officers should be proficient in Russian.

The State Border Guard Service chosen an interpreters’ company which will help to communicate with asylum seekers and illegal immigrants placed in the detention centre in Daugavpils. The stuff members of the detention centre face communication problems with immigrants from Asian and African countries due to luck of proficiency of their native languages. The interpreters’ company will provide also translation assistance in courts.

The State Border Guard Service chosen an interpreters company which will help to communicate with asylum seekers and illegal immigrants placed in the detention centre in Daugavpils. The stuff members of the detention centre face communication problems with immigrants from Asian and African countries due to luck of proficiency of their native languages. The interpreters company will provide also translation assistance in courts. Chas

The President of Latvia Andris Berzins renewed the work of the Advisory Committee for National Minorities and appointed head of the Latvian Azerbaijan cultural centre Romans Alijevs to the post of the chairman of the Committee. The Committee worked also during the ex-President Valdis Zatlers. The aim of the Committee is promotion of dialogue concerning ethnic, cultural, language and religious minorities and their social and political inclusion.

The President of Latvia Andris Berzins renewed the work of the Advisory Committee for National Minorities and appointed head of the Latvian Azerbaijan cultural centre Romans Alijevs to the post of the chairman of the Committee. The Committee worked also during the ex-President Valdis Zatlers. The aim of the Committee is promotion of dialogue concerning ethnic, cultural, language and religious minorities and their social and political inclusion. Chas

Telegraf prints an interview with the leader of the nationalists union All for Latvia!-For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM, MP Raivis Dzintars. According to Mr Dzintars, the union wants to stimulate those Latvians who emigrated from the country to come back, and, at the same time, those Russians who do not want to reside in Latvia anymore should be stimulated for repatriation to Russia. Mr. Dzintars believes that influx of guest workers from Russia and other CIS countries is unacceptable for Latvia because they will have no motivation to study Latvian language.