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.

• President appointed Laimdota Straujuma to the post of the Prime Minister
• Ombudsman: bilingual education system hinders sufficient state language proficiency of students
• MEP from Latvia Karlis Sadurskis proposes to introduce gradual transition of education in ethnic minority schools into Latvian language only
• Well-known Latvian composer Imants Kalnins called to stop the existing policy of setting fight between ethnic Latvians and Russians

Newspapers report that the President appointed Laimdota Straujuma (the Minister of Agriculture) to the post of the Prime Minister. Vesti Segodnya notes that Mrs Straujuma already stated that conversations about establishment of the government will be conducted with all the parties except the Concord Centre. The newspapers also notes that the nationalists’ party All for Latvia/FF-LNIM wants to appoint their representative Vineta Porina to the post of the Minister of Education with the main aim to transfer education in ethnic minority schools into Latvian language.

Vesti Segodnya reports about a meeting of the MP, chairperson of the Latvian Association for Support of Schools with Russian Language of Instruction (LAShOR) Igors Pimenovs with the Ombudsman Juris Jansons. During the meeting, Mr Pimenovs discussed with the Ombudsman his position regarding transfer of education in ethnic minority secondary schools into Latvian language only. The Ombudsman believes that the existing practice of bilingual education system hinders sufficient state language proficiency of students. The Ombudsman said that he sees problem not in the system but in the teachers who are not able to teach students in Latvian language.

MEP from Latvia Karlis Sadurskis proposes to introduce gradual transition of education in ethnic minority schools into Latvian language only. Mr Sadurskis proposes to start with kindergartens setting education in all municipal kindergartens in Latvian language. Than, after couple years to transfer first grades of schools into Latvian language only, and thus, in 10-15 years education in all state funded schools would be in Latvian only. Latvijas Avize

Well-known Latvian composer Imants Kalnins called to stop the existing policy of setting fight between ethnic Latvians and Russians. Mr Kalnins believes that Russia and Latvia have similar fate as both came out of common past. Ethnic Latvians and Russians done nothing wrong to each other, yet suffered at the hands of political leaders in the past as well as since the restoration of independence, and today’s ethnic Latvians and ethnic Russian residents form one Latvian nation, believes Mr Kalnins. According to Mr Kalnins, modern Latvia and Russia are new countries which solve similar issues and there is nothing those should be reconsolidated about. Neatkariga (7.01)