Want a job – speak Latvian

Published time: 23 Jan, 2009 01:11 Edited time: 23 Jan, 2009 04:11

With the economic crisis and unemployment raging in the country, the Latvian Ministry of Justice has proposed amendments to the labour law that would set new priorities. Speak Latvian – get a job.

Latvian Justice Minister Gaidis Berzins said that in complicated times Latvia finds itself now, people who have a command of Latvian and proper professional skills should get a job first.

The amendments, proposed by the ministry, suggest that all work contracts should specify the level of Latvian necessary to fulfill job obligations.

DELFI news source quoted him as saying that the move will help to improve the situation with the Latvian language in the country.

Currently, Russians constitute at least a third of the country’s population. Nearly 400,000 of them do not have Latvian citizenship as it requires passing an exam in Latvian.