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: graduate of a Russian language school was refused a post of cashier in a fast food restaurant

Vesti Segodnya reports about a case when a graduate of a Russian language school was refused a post of cashier in a fast food restaurant “Hesburger”, ostensibly because the result of his centralised state language exam was less than 50%. According to the applicant, the job interview was conducted in Latvian language and everything went well until the manager found that the applicant has graduated a Russian language school. After that the manager requested his state language proficiency certificate. Currently, graduates of all secondary schools (Latvian and Russian) pass exactly the same examination in state language, and therefore a separate language certificate is not available. After that, the manager requested the results of his secondary school centralised graduation exams, found out that the applicant scored 43% in the state language exam, announced that the cashier shall score at least 50% in school examination and thus refused the applicant. In an interview with the newspaper, the manager of “Hesburger” stated that the company introduced “internal regulations” which are not applied to graduates of majority schools. The newspaper notes that this cannot be viewed as just a test on Latvian language proficiency. The mother of the rejected applicant believes that such practice ensures that the graduates of majority schools get the job, while the graduates of minority schools who pass the same exams – do not get the job.