The National Alliance has submitted a draft resolution to the Saeima with "language" instructions for the Prime Minister.
As previously reported, debates on language policy are taking place in the Saeima this morning. It is to these debates that the National Alliance has prepared a draft resolution for the Saeima, instructing the Prime Minister to take measures to eradicate the pernicious practice of employees in state and municipal institutions communicating with each other in Russian.
"Although Latvian is the only official language in Latvia, the Russian state language is still used in state and municipal institutions both in the performance of work duties and in providing services to the residents of Latvia, as well as in communication among employees. In this regard, the National Alliance proposes that the Prime Minister ensure that only the Latvian language is used in all state and municipal institutions.
The situation where employees in state and municipal institutions speak Russian is unacceptable and contradicts not only the Constitution but also the Law on the State Language, the Law on Local Government, and the Law on the Structure of State Administration, which clearly state the status of the state language in the work of institutions.
Article 4 of the Constitution clearly states that the Latvian language is the only state language. This means that state authorities must also be a model in the use of the state language. The use of the Latvian language in public administration should be an obvious and indivisible fundamental principle of the state. It is unacceptable for communication in institutions to continue in Russian," emphasizes Saeima deputy Arturs Butāns.
Most likely, this draft resolution will not be considered in the Saeima today, as the document relates to so-called permanent proposals, and if it is included in the agenda but someone among the deputies objects, then either the document is postponed to the next meeting or it is referred to a Saeima committee.
