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.

• Latvijas Avize interviews the author of the Preamble to the Constitution of Latvia Levits

Latvijas Avize interviews the author of the Preamble to the Constitution of Latvia, judge of the European Court of Human Rights Egils Levits. The Preamble elaborated by Mr Levits came into force on 22 July but the adopted version differs from the initial by exclusion of a notion of  “state nation” referring to ethnic Latvians.  Mr Levits says that the notion was taken out due to controversial discussions about it, however, the meaning of “state nation” is described in the Preamble’s text. Mr Levits believes that the notion “state nation” should be used more frequently in public space and media. According to Mr Levits, there is a notion of ethnic minorities in Latvian Constitution and therefore there should also be the notion of state nation in order to stress that Latvia is a national state like other European countries. Mr Levits also says that relatively large part of Latvian residents believes that Latvia is like Australia which hosts immigrants from different countries pushing aside local residents and establishing state based on a new public agreement.