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.

• Vesti Segodnya: Latvian non-citizens are still unable to travel to the United Arab Emirates
• Baiba Broka:transition of education into Latvian language only is not violence against children

Vesti Segodnya reports thatLatvian non-citizens are still unable to travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). According to the MEP from Latvia Tatjana Zdanoka, the ban on non-citizens of Latvia was imposed year and a half ago, and the UAE authorities argue that such ban is necessary in order to combat the threat of terrorism. The Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs several times appealed to the UAE officials explaining the special status of Latvian non-citizens. Also the Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis during his visit to the UAE mentioned this problem, however, nothing has changed. Mrs Zdanoka considers that now it is a proper time to push again on the UAE as it actively holds conversation with the EU in order to achieve visa-free agreement with the Schengen area.

Head of the nationalists’ union faction in the Riga City Council Baiba Broka in an interview with Latvijas Avize says that the bilingual education system has not proved itself in Latvia as there are still problems with integration. Mrs Broka does not see any violence against children or oppression of democracy in transition education into Latvian language only. Mrs Broka says that a person does not need the genetic compliance to become ethnic Latvian but need a sense of belonging to this nation which is a matter of education and family.