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.

• Required number of signatures for initiation of state funded collection of signatures in support of referendum on granting Latvian citizenship to non-citizens is collected
• MP Imants Paradnieks: referendum on non-citizens will promote protest reaction of ethnic Latvians
• Political scientist Andrejs Berdnikovs joined a political party “For Native Language”
• Political scientist Iveta Kazoka: past referendum on the status of Russian language in Latvia brought some benefit to the society
• Diena reports about a draft Riga city integration program

The movement “For Equal Rights” collected required number of signatures for initiation of state funded collection of signatures in support of referendum on granting Latvian citizenship to non-citizens. According to representatives of “For Equal Rights” 12,178 signatures are collected which is even more than required. If the Central Election Committee will approve that the required number of signatures is collected, it will be required to collect about 150,000 of signatures during the second stage in order to initiate the referendum.

One of the leaders of the nationalists’ union All for Latvia/FF-LNIM, MP Imants Paradnieks commenting the successful first stage collection of signatures in support of referendum on granting Latvian citizenship to non-citizens stated that he believes such referendum will not improve the situation in the society and will promote protest reaction of ethnic Latvians. According to Mr Paradnieks, it is important to determine by the law that issues which may damage the basis of Latvian state could not be put on the referendum. Leader of the Saeima’s faction of the Concord Centre Janis Ubanovics, in his turn, critically evaluates the successful outcome of the referendum but at the same time believes that initiative as such reminds other countries and international institutions about problem of large scale non-citizenship in Latvia.

Vesti Segodnya reports that a political scientist, ex-advisor of the Minister of Culture on integration issues Andrejs Berdnikovs joined a political party “For Native Language.” According to Mr Berdnikovs the party “For Native Language” is subjected to repression on political basis and his decision to joint the party is a protest action with an aim to test the level of democracy of Latvian political system.

In an interview with Vesti Segodnya, a political scientist and researcher of the Centre for Public Policy “Providus” Iveta Kazoka states that past referendum on the status of Russian language in Latvia brought some benefit to the society. Ms Kazoka believes that from one side, the referendum clearly showed that the society is divided which was a surprise for many ethnic Latvians. But also the referendum showed consolidation of the society because there were no single fight between the residents at the polling stations, which would not be possible, for instance, in Balkan countries if the similar issues would be raised, believes Ms Kazoka.

Diena reports about a draft Riga city integration program elaborated by the Riga City Council. The draft program put emphasis on integration of immigrants or “newcomers” living in Riga.  In contrast to the national programme “National identity, civil society and integration guidelines”, the Riga integration program does not emphasize Latvian language as a basis of integration, but puts accent on the necessity to learn it. Diena (23.08)