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.

23 July 2014 

• 88 years old complained about the lack of Russian version of medicines’ instructions – complaint rejected because "written in a non-state language"
• The most popular social networking site in Latvia draugiem.lv would delete posts about the "New Wave" music contest
• Member of the National Electronic Mass Media Council: draft amendments on broadcasting in only one language are necessary because commercial radio stations acted for their profit and linguistically there are two radio sectors 

Vesti Segodnya was contacted by a 88 years old pensioner Naum Lorteistein, who complained to the Parliament about the fact that instructions to the medicines sold in pharmacies in Latvia now lack versions in Russian – his native language. His complaint letter was denied consideration, officially "because it was written in a non-state language". Mr Lorteistein is discontent with the fact that the Parliament rejected his letter instead of providing a substantive answer. The author believes that Latvia’s minorities are constantly being discriminated against on the ground of language, and that the lack of Russian versions of instructions and the rejection by the Parliament on the ground of language contradict the statements of the Ombudsman Juris Jansons, who insists the rights of Latvia’s minorities are not violated. 

The Director of the most popular social networking site in Latvia draugiem.lv Guntis Meluskans announced it would delete the news posts about the "New Wave" music contest currently taking place in the sea resort town Jurmala. Internal language of the contest is mostly Rusian and it attracts performers mostly from Russia. Mr Meluskans called this event a "picnic" and stated that information about it at the top page of draugiem.lv is "very unwanted". Vesti Segodnya 

Member of the National Electronic Mass Media Council Dainis Mjartans stated that the new draft amendments to the Electronic Mass Media Law, which envision broadcasting in only one language, are necessary because the commercial radio stations acted in the interests of their profit and as a result, linguistically, there are two radio broadcasting sectors in Latvia. Mr Mjartans also discusses with the representatives of radio broadcasters the possibility to air advertisements only in Latvian. Currently, there are 37 radio stations broadcasting only in Latvian, 17 mostly or partially in "foreign language" (i.e. Russian), and 13 radio stations broadcasting half of the time in Latvian and half in "foreign language". The newspaper highlights that in theory, the amendments would allow a license to broadcast in Russian, however, it is unclear if applications to broadcast in Russian would be approved in practice. Vesti Segodnya