Several politicians, following the government’s report to the Saeima on efforts to preserve the state language, emphasised the need to nurture the Latvian language and encourage its everyday use.
Speaker of the Saeima Daiga Mieriņa (Union of Greens and Farmers, ZZS) stated that language is a prerequisite for the existence of a state. “The way our language is reflects the way our state is,” Mieriņa said.
She urged people to treat the Latvian language with care. “We must all work on learning Latvian at every level,” she said, noting that responsibility for language use also lies within families, as a large share of content today is consumed in foreign languages.
“The number of young people choosing to communicate in English is growing,” observed the Speaker, while adding that young people’s overall attitude toward Latvian remains positive. “More and more anglicisms are entering our language,” Mieriņa said, pointing out that words like heitot (to hate) and vaibot (to vibe) are increasingly polluting the Latvian language.
Mieriņa stressed that
the prestige of the state language must be enhanced.
She added that reading books also helps to develop and maintain the Latvian language.
Agnese Krasta (New Unity, JV) stated that it is very important for language debates to be aimed at achieving consensus for joint work on strengthening and developing the status of the state language, rather than being used as a tool for political infighting.
She called on society “not to throw ashes on our own heads,” since much progress has been made in the field of the state language in recent years. Krasta noted that the Saeima has passed a number of laws that strengthen and protect the Latvian language in various areas of public life — for example, the transition to education solely in the state language, the requirement for paid election campaigning to be conducted in Latvian, and the obligation for healthcare services and consultations to be provided to patients in the Latvian language.
At the same time, she admitted that for these legal norms to work effectively, the involvement of the whole society is needed. Krasta pointed out that one of the real threats to the Latvian language lies in Latvians’ own linguistic behaviour — in how the language is used daily. She stressed that
adapting to another language is dangerous both in the short and long term.
The Cabinet of Ministers’ informative report to the Saeima on the activities undertaken and planned for the preservation, protection, development, and strengthening of the state language defines objectives in the legal, linguistic research, educational (pedagogical), and public engagement spheres, all of which are incorporated into the State Language Policy Action Plan for 2025–2027.
The systemic and consistent implementation of state language policy in all areas of public life and language use must be pursued in close cooperation with public administration. Its success depends on officials’ knowledge and understanding of language policy issues and on their linguistic behaviour, which in turn influences public attitudes and actions.
The report states that attention must be paid to enforcing language policy-related legal requirements and engaging society in education about the status and hierarchy of the Latvian language.
It has been found that
an assessment of legislation in terms of its impact on the state language would be necessary
— similar to how the financial impact of legal norms on the state budget is evaluated. A review of existing laws is also desirable to identify provisions that do not comply with the State Language Law. The report further recommends strengthening the monitoring of law enforcement.
To objectively assess the language situation, it is necessary to regularly collect data on Latvian residents’ native languages, proficiency in the state language, and language use patterns or linguistic behaviour.
The report highlights that a current issue is how to regularly and comprehensively gather and compile information on language proficiency among all residents of Latvia. At present, surveys conducted by the Central Statistical Bureau (CSP) cover only 1–2% of the population and do not provide dynamic data.
Equally important is the consistent implementation of the transition to education in the state language,
as well as the improvement and accessibility of Latvian language learning resources — such as teaching materials and methodological support — for students, teachers, and parents. Although the transition process will conclude by the end of the 2025/2026 school year, support for teachers, students, and parents will be needed for a long time, taking into account not only the introduction of a unified school system but also the effects of migration.
The quality provision of Latvian as a foreign or heritage language in Latvia, abroad, and within the diaspora is also crucial — ensuring language learning opportunities for re-emigrants as well. This ongoing effort contributes to improving Latvian language proficiency, expanding its use, and strengthening its sustainability in competition with prestigious world languages.
The future vitality of the Latvian language is closely tied to its use in digital technologies, including artificial intelligence solutions. The language must be integrated into technology not only formally but also in terms of content and culture. A lack of linguistic data for research purposes or insufficient data availability hinders the development and implementation of modern IT solutions and reduces the presence of the language in the digital space, the report states.
To change public language habits, inclusive attitude-building initiatives should be organised, encouraging Latvian speakers to continue using the state language even when communicating with those who are still learning it. Teachers play a particularly important role in this process. The report stresses the need to strengthen public understanding of the Latvian language as an essential part of identity and a fundamental national value.
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