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 of Latvia Andris Berzins asked the Patriarch Cyril of the Russian Orthodox Church to postpone his visit to Latvia
• Latvijas Avize questions leaders of Russian NGOs in Latvia how they evaluate events in Ukraine and how would local Russians react on similar Russia’s intervention to Latvia
• National Council on Electronic Mass Media will restrict retranslation of the Russia’s TV channel “Rossija RTR”

The President of Latvia Andris Berzins sent a letter to the Patriarch Cyril of the Russian Orthodox Church asking to postpone his visit to Latvia planned in May. Such proposal is based on recent situation in Ukraine and Crimea and Russia’s intervention. According to MP Dzintars Zakis (Unity), such decision in right because the Patriarch Cyril is approached to Kremlin and refusal to his visit is similar to refusal to Russia’s officials. Mr Zakis also believes that Russia may use this case to stress repeatedly intolerance towards Russian speakers, Orthodox believers and Russian citizens in Latvia. Vesti Segodnya, Neatkariga, Latvijas Avize

Latvijas Avize questions leaders of Russian NGOs in Latvia how they evaluate events in Ukraine and how would local Russians react on similar Russia’s intervention to Latvia. All NGOs representatives do not believe that Russia would intervene to Latvia, but also doubt that local Russian residents would fight against Russians and rather would take neutral position.  According to the head of the Latvian Russians Society Valerijs Kravcovs, Russians who are Latvian citizens would not support such actions but it would be naive to expect that 300,000 Latvian non-citizens would defend Latvia.

Vesti Segodnya reports that Russian State Duma supported in the first reading a draft law stipulating easier procedure on granting Russian citizenship to recognized Russian speakers. Such amendments would refer to foreigners if they or their close blood relatives lived in Russia, including in the former Russian empire and the USSR.

The National Council on Electronic Mass Media (NCEMM) took a decision to restrict retranslation of the Russia’s TV channel “Rossija RTR” for three months. The NCEMM does not provide official argumentation for such decision yet. The NCEMM evaluates also the content of broadcasts of other Russia’s TV channel retranslated in Latvia. Vesti Segodnya, Neatkariga