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.

• Nationalists union is planning to ask the Constitutional Court to evaluate whether the up-coming referendum on granting Russian language status of a state language in Latvia contradicts the Constitution
• MP Igors Pimenovs: up-coming referendum will split the society on ethnic lines
• OSCE/ODIHR report on the snap Saeimas elections in Latvia highlights barrier to political participation
• Metropolitan of Russian Orthodox Church in Latvia Aleksandr calls for the concord among Russian speakers and ethnic Latvians

The nationalists’ union All for Latvia!-FF/LNIM is planning to ask the Constitutional Court of Latvia to evaluate whether the up-coming referendum on granting Russian language status of a state language in Latvia contradicts the Constitution. The nationalists’ union collects signatures of the Parliament’s members to appeal to the Court. Head of the Saeima’s Legal Committee, MP Ilma Cepane (the Unity) in an interview with Latvijas Avize states that the referendum could have been stopped if the Central Elections Committee (CEC) refused to conduct it as it is anti-constitutional. According to Mrs Cepane, it could take years for the courts to decide whether the CEC’s decision was lawful.

The nationalists union All for Latvia!-FF/LNIM is planning to ask the Constitutional Court of Latvia to evaluate whether the up-coming referendum on granting Russian language status of a state language in Latvia contradicts the Constitution. The nationalists union collects signatures of the Parliaments members to appeal to the Court. Head of the Saeimas Legal Committee, MP Ilma Cepane (the Unity) in an interview with Latvijas Avize states that the referendum could have been stopped if the Central Elections Committee (CEC) refused to conduct it as it is anti-constitutional. According to Mrs Cepane, it could take years for the courts to decide whether the CECs decision was lawful. Diena, Latvijas Avize

Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with the MP from the Concord Centre Igors Pimenovs. According to Mr Pimenovs, since the very beginning he did not support the initiative to conduct referendum granting Russian language status of a state language in Latvia. Mr Pimenovs considers that the up-coming referendum will split the society on ethnic lines, strengthen influence of national radicals and weaken positions of Russian language.

The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE/ODIHR) published a report on the snap Saeimas elections in Latvia conducted in September. According to the report, the elections were democratic and pluralistic; however there were some barriers to political participation. The report highlights that the political landscape in Latvia continued to be generally divided along ethnic and linguistic lines. As one of the barriers, the report names the ban to disseminate information materials for voters in Russian language because it creates potentially unfavourable conditions for ethnic minorities taking part in the elections. The report also mentions that there is still large number of non-citizens who have no rights to participate the elections. Chas

Link to the OSCE/ODIHR report

Link to the OSCE/ODIHR report http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/Latvia/86363

The Metropolitan Russian Orthodox Church in Latvia Aleksandr in his Christmas speech called for the concord among Russian speaking and ethnic Latvian residents. The Metropolitan stated that Latvian residents should search for common language and the society should be united.

The Metropolitan Russian Orthodox Church in Latvia Aleksandr in his Christmas speech called for the concord among Russian speaking and ethnic Latvian residents. The Metropolitan stated that Latvian residents should search for common language and the society should be united. Telegraf