OSCE has several proposals for Latvian language law implementation regulations

  • 2000-08-10
RIGA (BNS) - The Latvian Justice Ministry on Aug.7 received a response from the OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities Max van der Stoel containing proposals concerning six out of nine provisions of the government regulations for implementation of the state language law.

The Justice Ministry received the commissioner's assessment on Aug. 7, and it has already been translated, and a group is working on it, the ministry's acting spokesman Andris Vitenburgs said.

Official translation of the document will be available later.

The ministry's experts will incorporate Stoel's proposals into the regulations and send a response letter and the new version of the regulations to the commissioner later this week. The assessment enclosed several important proposals concerning six out of the total of nine provisions of the regulations, including those concerning the language skills needed for fulfilling professional duties and for fulfulling duties of a certain post and language skills testing procedure.

The proposals also refer, among other things, to regulations concerning translation in events staged in the territory of Latvia, use of the state language in information, spelling of names and second names, identification regulations and others.

The experts on Aug.7 discussed issues concerning public informing of society and others, said National Human Rights Office deputy director Sandra Vilcane who took part in the working group's meeting.

The meeting also was joined by justice and foreign ministry officials as well as the State Language Center officials. The working group's meetings were planned for Aug. 8 and Aug.9.

Vitenburgs said the regulations will be considered by the government committee on Aug.14.

The Justice Ministry on Aug. 3 made public the regulations in its Internet home page at the address www.jm.gov.lv.

The ministry completed the regulations on July 28 and the OSCE mission in Latvia Aug. 2 sent the translation of the regulations to Stoel. The regulations should be adopted by Sept.1 when the state language law is to take effect.