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.

• Saeima supported controversial draft amendments aimed at restriction of granting residence permits to foreign investors

Yesterday, the Saeima supported in the final reading the draft amendments to the Immigration Law aimed at restriction of granting residence permits to foreign investors.  Thus, residence permits can be granted to those foreign citizens who invest at least EUR 150,000 in real estate in any region of Latvia. Moreover, the foreigner has to pay EUR 25,000 for the residence permit. The amendments also foresee quotas: not more than 700 residence permits can be granted to those foreign citizens who invested EUR 150,000 – 500,000 in Latvian real estate and 100 residence permits for those who invested over EUR 500,000 in Latvian real estate within one year. The new amendments also stipulate other option for third country nationals to receive residence permit in Latvia – to pay the state EUR 50,000. The government coalition partners argue that these amendments were developed following the agreement between all coalition partners because of the ultimatum pushed by the nationalists’ union who demanded the restrictions and threatened to vote against the state budget for 2014. The amendments are forwarded to the President of Latvia who may return them to Saeima for the repeated revision. Vesti Segodnya, Neatkariga, Latvijas Avize