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.

• MPS do not support the draft amendments providing for public education in national minority languages upon demand
• Latvia suspended work of the Russia’s news agency “Sputnik” in the Latvia’s domain zone

The Saeima’s Committee on Education, Culture and Sports has not supported the draft amendments providing for the state support of education in national minority languages if there is convincing demand for it. The oppositional deputy Igors Pimenovs (the Concord Centre) submitted such a proposal.The MP Inguna Ribena (National Union) argued that the current language usage in education system is optimal and there is no necessity to change it. Vesti Segodnya

The administrator of the domain .LV registry suspended the work of the Russia’s news agency “Sputnik” in the Latvia’s domain zone. The decision was taken following a letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs questioning the legality of the portal’s operations and compliance with the EU sanctions regulations. However, after couple of hours the agency moved its content to .COM domain and continued to publish articles also in Latvian language. Following such a ban, the OSCE’s Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović expressed her concerns about the decision and asked the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide more detailed information about it. “I am concerned that the actions by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs might set a dangerous precedent in the take-down policy related to media websites in Latvia,” Mijatović said in the letter. Lsm.lv