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.

•  MPs discussed the notion of political nation in Latvia

• Vesti Segodnya interviews academic Juris Rozenvalds about 9 May

Vesti Segodnya reports on a discussion about a united political nation held in the Saeima. The MPs, academics and journalists took part in the discussion. According to a Judge of the European Court of Justice Egils Levits, Latvian nation consists of three components: Latvian language as the main communication language, dominating Latvian culture, and common social memory. Mr Levits noted that ethnic belonging of members of such Latvian nation is irrelevant. Academic Leo Dribins did not agree that culture should unite everyone because citizens can belong to different cultures but still be patriots of the state. The MP Irina Cvetkova (Concord Centre), in her turn, argued that political nation is irrelevant not only of ethnic belonging but also of the native language. Advisor of the Prime Minister on integration issues Sarmite Elerte stated that the social memory is the main factor of split in the society.

Vesti Segodnya interviews academic Juris Rozenvalds about the attitude of different groups of the society towards 9 May (the end of the WWII or the Victory Day celebrated during Soviet era and nowadays in many former Soviet Union republics as well as by majority of Russian speaking residents in Latvia). Mr Rozenvalds believes that for many Russian speakers 9 May is not just a celebration but a desire to show the governing authorities that “we are here, we are many, and we must be taken into account.” Thus, the message of 9 May celebrations is similar to the referendum on the status of Russian language in Latvia as many of the people who voted for the proposal made it with an aim to draw attention of authorities and to be heard. However, Mr Rozenvals believes the governing authorities do not have enough professionalism to understand this message.