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.

Press Review

Press Review

State President G.Ulmanis hopes that the new government could be formed in the second half of November. The activities of V.Kristopans have not been very successful so far. In his interview G.Ulmanis expressed his hope that after November 18 V.Kristopans would announce the composition of the new government and the Cabinet of Ministers could be affirmed by the end of November.

State President G.Ulmanis hopes that the new government could be formed in the second half of November. The activities of V.Kristopans have not been very successful so far. In his interview G.Ulmanis expressed his hope that after November 18 V.Kristopans would announce the composition of the new government and the Cabinet of Ministers could be affirmed by the end of November. Neatkariga, Diena, Panorama Latvii

Yesterday the Director of DCMA I.Zitars and the Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior A.Grigulis opened a new centre for asylum seekers in Mucenieki, Riga region. It is 20 km from Riga on the territory of a former USSR military base. But the first tenants of this building will have to wait for a while because the equipment and furniture from Sweden is to arrive only in December. All the money for establishing for this centre comes from foreign sources. So far there have been 25 applications for receiving the status of a refugee; imn total - 46 persons (30 adults and 16 children), but the status has been granted only to one person.

Yesterday the Director of DCMA I.Zitars and the Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior A.Grigulis opened a new centre for asylum seekers in Mucenieki, Riga region. It is 20 km from Riga on the territory of a former USSR military base. But the first tenants of this building will have to wait for a while because the equipment and furniture from Sweden is to arrive only in December. All the money for establishing for this centre comes from foreign sources. So far there have been 25 applications for receiving the status of a refugee; imn total - 46 persons (30 adults and 16 children), but the status has been granted only to one person. Neatkariga, Diena, Jauna Avize, Chas

The

Union of Social Democrats submitted to V.Kristopans the basic principles for their participation in the new government: a necessity to elaborate a national employment program, within four years raise minimal salaries and pensions to the level of subsistence wage, etc. V.Kristopans thinks that they may be discussed, and there is nothing they could not come to an agreement. Diena, Rigas Balss, Jauna Avize

The Saeima Presidium and Council of factions decided to hold the first Saeima meeting on Thursday. The only question on the agenda - electing Saeima commissions. Neatkariga names all the candidates to these commissions. Neatkariga

As it can be understood from the expressions of V.Kristopans, the Board of

As it can be understood from the expressions of V.Kristopans, the Board of Latvijas Cels tended to support a minority government that could be formed by the current coalition members - Latvijas Cels, Tevzemei un Brivibai/LNNK and New Party, but the final decision had not been made yet. The Chairman of New Party A.Slesers supports the idea of a minority government. But TB/LNNK still stands for a majority government and refuses to work in one government with Social Democrats. Neatkariga, Jauna Avize, Chas

Dainis Lemesonoks in

Neatkariga wonders what the outcome of the amendments to the Law on Citizenship could be because nobody in Latvia knows what the tempo of naturalisation could be. The first changes in the situation could be felt in 2001, when municipal election is held, and in 2002 with the 8th Saeima election. One of the major influences of naturalization will be the increased number of the Saeima deputy seats in Riga electoral district and decreased in Latvian countryside. All these newly naturalized citizens will cause many changes in Latvia, and it depends on Latvians how fruitful or devastating these changes will be. And the main thing, according to D.Lemesonoks, is that these people should not feel like double citizens: Latvian citizens in their passports and former USSR citizens in their heart. And the author is not sure about loyalty of these to be citizens. Neatkariga

The amendments to the Law on Citizenship took effect yesterday, and it means that there are no window mechanism any more. S.Zaletayev in Panorama Latvii writes about the situation in August last year when suddenly the government led by TB/LNNK representative G.Krasts decided to implement all OSCE recommendations. S.Zaletayev explains it as pure calculation because the law would not take effect before July. And there would not be so many new citizens to influence the outcome of the Saeima election. By 2002, when the next election is held, the window mechanism would be open anyway, because the last window group would have been opened by that time (here S.Zaletayev makes a mistake - the last window for those over 30 is to be opened from January 1, 2203) and calls the future new citizens to remember this fact at the next Saeima election. Panorama Latvii