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.

• Security Police wants to close a number of radical organisations
• ID cards issued to non-citizens are not valid for travelling within the Schengen states
• Job advertisement requires “do not to switch on Russian music in the car”

According to the head of the Security Police (SP) Janis Reiniks, the SP gathers materials in order to close and ban several radical organisations active in Latvia. Newspaper Vesti Segodnya reports most likely the ban will concern the radical organisation “Centre of Gustavs Celmins” which promotes ultra right ideology and whose leader Igors Siskins recently got arrested for attempt to buy explosives.

Vesti Segodnya reports that Latvian ID cards issued to non-citizens are not valid for travelling within the Schengen states. The MP Boriss Cilevics (Concord Centre) believes that such fact puts non-citizens in unequal situation comparing to citizens because for Latvian citizens the ID cards are valid document for travelling in Europe. The Concord Centre asks the Minister of Foreign Affairs to explain the situation because both Latvian citizens and non-citizens do not need visas for travelling to these countries. 

A doctor in Daugavpils (mainly Russian speaking town close to Byelorussian border) published a job advertisement for the vacancy of a “car driver” listing as one of the job requirements “do not to switch on Russian music, Russian and Belorussian radio stations in the car in the presence of employer.” At the same time, the announcement says that the ethnic affiliation of a candidate does not matter. The doctor explained to the journalists that such requirement is based on the fact that he dislikes Russian music and prefers music in other languages. Experts interviewed by the journalists see nothing wrong in discriminating against specific language. Representative of the Latvian Employers’ Confederation Agnese Elksne stated that “employer is entitled to set restrictions on playing music at the workplace. The legal acts do not regulate actions of the employer regarding playing of music in specific language or of specific nations”. The head of the Equal Treatment Division of the Ombudsman’s Office Sarlote Berzina referred to the labour legislation and stated that the ban on listening music at the workplace is determined by the employer, which is envisioned in the internal labour regulations. Vesti Segodnya