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Statement regarding the adoption of regulations implementing the Latvian State Language Law
31 August 2000
THE HAGUE, 31 August 2000 - The following statement was issued by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Max van der Stoel, today:
I wish to express appreciation for the good co-operation between my Office and the Latvian Government regarding elaboration of the implementing regulations under the State Language Law, as adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers on 22 August 2000.
I view the regulations implementing the State Language Law as being essentially in conformity with both the Law and Latvia's international obligations. I note that virtually all of my recommendations were accepted by the Government in the drafting process. Moreover, I take special note of the protocol to the Cabinet of Ministers' meeting of 22 August 2000 by which the Government has committed itself to amend, before 1 November 2000, the "Regulations on Proficiency Degree in the State Language Required for Performance of Professional and Positional Duties and the Procedure of Language Proficiency Tests" with a view to elaborating a list specifying the required language proficiencies in the private sector only to the extent necessary to fulfil a legitimate public interest. I trust that the prospective list will, in accordance with international standards, be precise, justified, proportionate to the legitimate aim sought, and limited. I also invite the Government at the same time to make other small amendments to the regulations as would correct deficiencies, such as to limit expressly and strictly the scope of para. 2 of the "Regulations on Ensuring Interpretation in Events" to legitimate public interests.
Overall, I trust that the public administration of the implementing regulations and the Law as a whole will be in the spirit of an open and liberal democracy and, thus, will fully respect the limited scope of the Law, as expressed in Article 2 of the Law, and the requirements of Latvia's international obligations. To this end, I invite the Government to take advantage of opportunities to train the relevant units of the Latvian civil service.
I also trust that the forthcoming revisions to the Administrative Code of Delicts will not impose a system of sanctions disproportionate to the established offences, nor be implemented by the responsible body in such a way.
Finally, with reference to Latvia's commitments to respect the rights of persons belonging to national minorities, it is to be noted that certain specific matters will have to be reviewed upon Latvia's anticipated ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.
Contact: Walter Kemp, Senior Advisor, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, The Hague P.O. Box 20062, The Netherlands, Telephone: 31-70-3125506, Telefax: 31-70-3635910, Email: [email protected]
I wish to express appreciation for the good co-operation between my Office and the Latvian Government regarding elaboration of the implementing regulations under the State Language Law, as adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers on 22 August 2000.
I view the regulations implementing the State Language Law as being essentially in conformity with both the Law and Latvia's international obligations. I note that virtually all of my recommendations were accepted by the Government in the drafting process. Moreover, I take special note of the protocol to the Cabinet of Ministers' meeting of 22 August 2000 by which the Government has committed itself to amend, before 1 November 2000, the "Regulations on Proficiency Degree in the State Language Required for Performance of Professional and Positional Duties and the Procedure of Language Proficiency Tests" with a view to elaborating a list specifying the required language proficiencies in the private sector only to the extent necessary to fulfil a legitimate public interest. I trust that the prospective list will, in accordance with international standards, be precise, justified, proportionate to the legitimate aim sought, and limited. I also invite the Government at the same time to make other small amendments to the regulations as would correct deficiencies, such as to limit expressly and strictly the scope of para. 2 of the "Regulations on Ensuring Interpretation in Events" to legitimate public interests.
Overall, I trust that the public administration of the implementing regulations and the Law as a whole will be in the spirit of an open and liberal democracy and, thus, will fully respect the limited scope of the Law, as expressed in Article 2 of the Law, and the requirements of Latvia's international obligations. To this end, I invite the Government to take advantage of opportunities to train the relevant units of the Latvian civil service.
I also trust that the forthcoming revisions to the Administrative Code of Delicts will not impose a system of sanctions disproportionate to the established offences, nor be implemented by the responsible body in such a way.
Finally, with reference to Latvia's commitments to respect the rights of persons belonging to national minorities, it is to be noted that certain specific matters will have to be reviewed upon Latvia's anticipated ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.
Contact: Walter Kemp, Senior Advisor, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, The Hague P.O. Box 20062, The Netherlands, Telephone: 31-70-3125506, Telefax: 31-70-3635910, Email: [email protected]