Frequent Discoveries Reveal Inadequate Use of the Latvian Language as Per Authorities' Reports
In the past year, the Language Control Centre in Latvia has been actively enforcing the use of the Latvian national language in commerce, catering, service sectors, and schools. The Centre carried out a total of 2,841 inspections, with a focus on employees' language skills and the content of websites.
The enforcement of Latvian as the primary language in these sectors is a cornerstone of Latvian public policy, backed by legal requirements. These regulations are established through Latvia's language laws, such as the State Language Law, which set out the requirement that Latvian be used in specific public domains.
In the commercial sector, businesses are required to use Latvian in public communications, advertising, labeling, and customer service. This includes displaying information in Latvian and conducting service interactions primarily in Latvian. In schools, Latvian is the primary language of instruction, with restrictions on instruction in minority languages.
These measures have been subject to criticism and scrutiny internationally, especially regarding the rights of Russian-speaking minorities. The UN Human Rights Committee has noted concerns over possible discrimination and the impact on minority language rights.
Last year, 879 decisions on penalties were adopted for violations in the use of the state language. Of these decisions, 706 were fines and 173 were warnings. The Centre initiated 892 administrative infringement proceedings for violations in the use of the state language. In 31% of the inspections, violations of the use of the national language were detected.
It is worth noting that two cases resulted in a decision to refuse to open administrative infringement proceedings. The Language Control Department conducted both planned and unplanned inspections.
The current guidelines in Latvia aim to prioritise Latvian as the state language while limiting the use of minority languages, notably Russian. These policies are part of a longstanding government effort to promote Latvian language use and integration.
Despite ongoing debates on minority rights and EU-level scrutiny, there are no recent indications in the search results of substantial easing or reform of these guidelines as of mid-2025. The legislative environment remains stable on this issue.
[1] UN Human Rights Committee, Concluding observations on the combined sixth and seventh periodic reports of Latvia, 2018, https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=CCPR%2fC%2fLVA%2fCO%2f7&Lang=en [3] European Commission, Annual report on the implementation of the European Union's common basic policy on languages, 2020, https://ec.europa.eu/info/publications/annual-report-implementation-european-unions-common-basic-policy-languages_en
- The Language Control Centre in Latvia has been enforcing the use of the Latvian national language in diverse sectors like commerce, catering, services, and schools.
- The Centre executed a total of 2,841 inspections, primarily focusing on employees' language skills and website content.
- Enforcing Latvian as the primary language in these sectors is a key component of Latvian public policy, backed by legal requirements.
- These regulations are established through Latvia's language laws, such as the State Language Law.
- In the commercial sector, businesses are required to use Latvian in public communications, advertising, labeling, and customer service.
- Schools primarily use Latvian as the language of instruction, with restrictions on instruction in minority languages.
- These measures have attracted criticism and scrutiny internationally, particularly over the rights of Russian-speaking minorities.
- The UN Human Rights Committee has expressed concerns about potential discrimination and the impact on minority language rights.
- In 2021, 879 decisions on penalties were adopted for language violations, with 706 fines and 173 warnings issued.
- The Centre initiated 892 administrative infringement proceedings for violations in the use of the state language.
- In 31% of the inspections, violations of the use of the national language were detected.
- Two cases resulted in a decision to refuse to open administrative infringement proceedings.
- The Language Control Department conducted both planned and unplanned inspections.
- The current guidelines in Latvia prioritize Latvian as the state language, while limiting the use of minority languages, notably Russian.
- These policies are part of a longstanding government effort to promote Latvian language use and integration.
- Ongoing debates on minority rights and EU-level scrutiny have not resulted in substantial easing or reform of these guidelines as of mid-2025.
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