Estonian Laws no longer available for Russian speakers

  • 2009-01-07
  • By Jana Belugina
TALLINN - The Estonian government's decision to discontinue translation of legal documents and legal acts into the Russian language has angered native Russian speakers in the Baltic country.
The unpopular decision, which will deprive about 400,000 people of the possibility to fully understand legislation and their rights as citizens in their native language, has been justified by a state budget shortfall.
Three years ago the translation of legal documents from Estonian language was transferred to the The Ministry of Justice.

However, recently the Ministry of Justice told Estonian news portal ERR that at the present, their main purpose is "to provide translation of Estonian legal documents into English, and international contracts from English into Estonian."

The Ministry of Justice has also confirmed that the decision was made because of current financial difficulties. "Because of budget reductions in 2008 and 2009, the ministry does not have financial possibilities for the translation of texts," said Diana Kommus, the press secretary of the Ministry of Justice.
The head of the Bureau of the Minister of Population Affairs, Kate Fomochkin, said it was hoped that in 2009 the situation would improve, allowing the continued the translation of Estonian laws into Russian language.
"We consider it important that at least such legal acts, so necessary in an everyday life, as those concerning the labor rights, taxes, citizenship, a state language, about legal proceedings and punishments would be as accessible in Russian language," Fomochkin told ERR.

She also added that it is necessary to provide not only the initial translation of Estonian legal documents, but to constantly update texts in case of modification and amendments of the legislation.
According to Fomochkin, the Bureau of the Minister of Population Affairs continued to champion the necessity of the translation of laws into Russian language.

"Annoyingly, the ministry does not find means for this," said Fomochkin.
According to 2008 figures from the Estonian Department of Statistics, 343,568 Russians, 28,003 Ukrainians and 15,925 Belorussians - all of them considered Russian speakers - resided in Estonia.
As to the opinion of average Russian speakers in Estonia, most consider the decision an inconvenience.
"Of course this is not the most pleasant news. I understand Estonian very well, but still it is more convenient to read legislative documents in the native language," said Diana Petrjakova, a middle-manager. "And of course from now on I will have to translate the laws to my parents, who don't speak English and do not posses Estonian on the necessary level."