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

Yesterday the Cabinet of Ministers adopted the Regulations on the Procedure of Submitting and Considering of Applications for the Recognition of the Child as the Latvian Citizen, and Amendments to the Regulations concerning the language and history examinations. The Regulations and amendments will come into force after their publication in the newspaper "Latvijas Vestnesis”.

Yesterday the Cabinet of Ministers adopted the Regulations on the Procedure of Submitting and Considering of Applications for the Recognition of the Child as the Latvian Citizen, and Amendments to the Regulations concerning the language and history examinations. The Regulations and amendments will come into force after their publication in the newspaper"Latvijas Vestnesis. Diena, B&B

B&B interviews the MFA State Secretary Maris Riekstins who will leave for Moscow to meet with the Russian Deputy Minister of the Foreign Affairs Alexander Avdeev tomorrow. According to Mr. Riekstins, Latvia is ready to have a discussion about the present relations between both countries. Mr. Riekstins will inform the Russian side about the priorities of the Latvian government. The main task of the visit is to draw a scenario for the co-operation in 1999, Mr. Riekstins said.

Analysing the Latvian foreign policy, the Advisor of the State President Andris Razans argues that no strategical changes in the course of the Latvian foreign policy are possible, since the democracy in Latvia is strong enough to be able to implement the foreign policy in accordance with the principles of the democratic state. The article is a response to the recent publication of the analysis by the US Jamestown Foundation which referred to possible changes in the course of the Latvian foreign policy. 

Analysing the Latvian foreign policy, the Advisor of the State President Andris Razans argues that no strategical changes in the course of the Latvian foreign policy are possible, since the democracy in Latvia is strong enough to be able to implement the foreign policy in accordance with the principles of the democratic state. The article is a response to the recent publication of the analysis by the US Jamestown Foundation which referred to possible changes in the course of the Latvian foreign policy.Diena

Ineta Ziemele, Acting Head of the Human Rights Institute, discusses the issue of the spelling of the foreign names in Latvian in the context of the human rights. The Chair of the Saeima Commission on the Implementation of the Citizenship Law Janis Legzdins told 

Ineta Ziemele, Acting Head of the Human Rights Institute, discusses the issue of the spelling of the foreign names in Latvian in the context of the human rights. The Chair of the Saeima Commission on the Implementation of the Citizenship Law Janis Legzdins toldDiena that the Commission approved the partial increase of the Naturalisation Board budget for 10, 000 Lats of 48, 500 Lats requested by the Board. Fifteen Estonian MP s sent a letter to the Norwegian Foreign Affairs Minister who is the OSCE Chairman in Office expressing dissatisfaction of the recent activities of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Max van der Stoel. The MPs asked the OSCE Chairman to seriously assess the activities of the High Commissioner towards Estonia by pointing out that they do not serve the objective to lessen the tension on national minority issues. In the letter it is stated that since 1991 Estonia has reformed all spheres and that now it is a democratic and a stable nation that respects and protects the human rights and the rights of national minorities. The OSCE High Commissioner, however, has stepped back from his statements that Estonia has fulfilled all recommendations and criticised the Amendments to the Estonian Election Law adopted by the Estonian parliament at the end of the last year. The more serious problem, according to the MPs, is that by doing it the High Commissioner has got involved into the pre-election campaign of some political forces which since the restoration of the independence have tried to create discord and tension in the society. Diena