The Ministry of Education and Research and the Ministry of Defense are jointly working to ensure the language readiness of every young person for compulsory service, reports the Eesti 200 party.
On Wednesday, the Eesti 200 party discussed the amendments to the Defense Forces Service Act that will come into effect next year, including the requirements for knowledge of the Estonian language when entering compulsory service. According to the party, the state must ensure that language proficiency does not become an obstacle to fulfilling the constitutional duty of defending the country.
The chairperson of the Eesti 200 party, Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas, emphasized that her ministry is closely cooperating with the Ministry of Defense to develop a solution that will provide young people with the necessary language skills for compulsory service.
"The state is obliged to create a system that ensures the readiness of all young people for compulsory service. In collaboration with the Ministry of Defense, we are seeking a solution that guarantees sufficient proficiency in the Estonian language and allows every young person to fulfill their duty to defend the country on equal terms," said Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas.
The Eesti 200 party emphasizes that updating the requirements for compulsory service is necessary due to the changed security situation. The chairman of the Riigikogu Defense Commission, Kalev Stoicescu, noted that proficiency in the Estonian language is important for both the quality of training and ensuring security.
"Compulsory service requires clear and unambiguous communication. Therefore, it is important for the draftee to have the necessary language training. At the same time, we operate on the principle that insufficient language proficiency should not be a reason for evading military duty," said Stoicescu.
