Minority children cannot be required to have perfect command of Latvian

During the hearings, the lawyer pointed out that from the explanations of the Ministry of Education and Science it can be concluded that the goal of the challenged norms is not just to achieve mastery of the state language, but to ensure that representatives of national minorities speak them at the same level as Latvians.

She believes that this is impossible due to the difference between the mother tongue and other languages. People of a different nationality will almost always have a slightly worse command of the Latvian language because it is not their native language, Nikultseva pointed out, adding that requiring exactly the same proficiency in the state language as native Latvians cannot be a legitimate goal.

Nikultseva notes that similar amendments to the law were previously adopted in Ukraine. The Venice Commission (European Commission for Democracy through Law) previously called for private schools to be excluded from language requirements, and Ukraine has done so.

Tengiz Djibouti, the legal representative of Dana and Dominic Djibouti, who filed the case, stressed to the court that society can be united through an understanding of common values ​​and a sense of belonging, which can only be achieved by showing respect for minorities.

He believes that the current integration policy of the state is not aimed at cooperation and unity of various ethnic groups, but at ignoring the interests of minorities and preserving their identity. In his opinion, the state crossed the permissible line with the contested norms.

As reported, the lawsuit was filed by Dana Djibouti and Dominic Djibouti, represented by their father Tengiz Djibouti. The plaintiffs believe that, due to the challenged norms, they will no longer be able to receive education in their native language, and these norms deprive them of the right to develop as well-rounded and critically thinking individuals and the right to the full use of their language in public and private life, which follows from the norms Constitution.