In a Stalinist skyscraper which dominates the skyline of Latvia’s capital, dozens of aged Russians wait to take a primary Latvian language take a look at as a proof of loyalty to a rustic the place they’ve lived for many years.
Clutching pink Russian passports, the individuals, largely ladies, learn their notes for final minute revision, fearing they could be expelled from the Baltic nation in the event that they fail.
Speaking Russian as a substitute of Latvian has not been an issue till now, however the conflict in Ukraine modified the image. Last yr’s election marketing campaign was dominated by questions of nationwide id and safety issues.
The authorities now calls for a language take a look at from the 20,000 individuals within the nation holding Russian passports, largely aged and feminine, because the loyalty of Russian residents is a fear, mentioned Dmitrijs Trofimovs, state secretary on the Interior Ministry.
“(If I am deported), I would have nowhere to go, I have lived here for 40 years,” mentioned Valentina Sevastjanova, 70, a former English trainer and Riga information after her last Latvian lesson in a personal college in central Riga, prepared for when she takes her personal examination.
“I took the Russian passport in 2011 to easily visit my sick parents in Belarus. They are gone now.”
Sevastjanova was in school of 11 ladies, aged 62 to 74, taking the three month crash course. Each utilized for Russian passports after impartial Latvia re-emerged in 1991 from the ashes of the Soviet Union.
It made them eligible for retirement at 55, a pension from Russia, and visa-free journey to Russia and Belarus.
But after Russia invaded Ukraine final February, Latvia switched off Russian TV channels, crushed a Soviet World War Two monument and is now working in direction of eliminating schooling in Russian.
This has left lots of Latvia’s ethnic Russians, who make up a few quarter of its inhabitants of 1.9 million, feeling they could be dropping their place in society, the place talking solely Russian has been acceptable for many years.
Russian residents below 75 who don’t move the take a look at by the tip of the yr will probably be given cheap time to depart, Trofimovs mentioned. If they don’t go away, they might face a “forced expulsion”.
“They voluntary decided to take the citizenship not of Latvia but of another state,” he mentioned. He mentioned the take a look at was wanted as a result of Russian authorities justified their invasion of Ukraine by the necessity to shield Russian nationals overseas.
“I think that learning Latvian is right, but this pressure is wrong,” Sevastjanova mentioned.
“People live in a Russian environment. They speak with (only) Russians. Why not? It’s a large diaspora”, she mentioned. “There are Russian-speaking workplaces. There are Russian newspapers, television, radio. You can converse in Russian in shops and markets – Latvians easily switch to Russian.”
To move, they should perceive primary Latvian phrases and converse in easy sentences, equivalent to “I would like to have a dinner and I would like to choose fish, not meat”, mentioned Liene Voronenko, head of Latvia’s National Centre of Education, which conducts the exams.
“I love learning languages, and I expected to be learning French in retirement. But now I end up learning Latvian instead. Oh well – why not?” Sevastjanova mentioned.
Source: www.anews.com.tr
