Unofficial
translation
The
Saeima has adopted and the President
of the
State has proclaimed the following law:
State
Language Law
Article
1
The
purpose of this Law shall be to ensure:
1) the
preservation, protection and development of the Latvian language;
2) the
preservation of the cultural and historical heritage of the Latvian nation;
3) the
right to use the Latvian language freely in any sphere of life in the whole territory
of Latvia;
4) the
integration of national minorities into Latvian society while respecting their
right to use their mother tongue or any other language;
5) the
increase of the influence of the Latvian language in the cultural environment
of Latvia by promoting a faster integration of society .
Article
2
(1)
This Law shall regulate the use and protection of the state language at state
and municipal institutions, courts and agencies belonging to the judicial
system, as well as at other agencies, organisations and enterprises (or
companies), in education and other spheres.
(2) The
use of language in private institutions, organisations and enterprises (or
companies) and the use of language with regard to self-employed persons shall
be regulated in cases when their activities concern legitimate public interests
(public safety , health, morals, health care, protection of consumer
rights
and labour rights, workplace safety and public administrative supervision)
(hereafter also: legitimate public interests) and shall be regulated to the
extent that the restriction applied to ensure
legitimate
public interests is balanced with the rights and interests of private
institutions, organisations, companies (enterprises).
(3) The
Law shall not regulate the use of language in the unofficial communication of
the residents of Latvia, the internal communication of national and ethnic
groups, the language used during worship services, ceremonies, rites
and any
other kind of religious activities of religious organisations.
Article
3
(1) In
the Republic of Latvia, the state language shall be the Latvian language.
(2) In
the Republic of Latvia every person has the right to file applications and
communicate in
the
state language at agencies, voluntary and religious organisations, enterprises
(or companies).
(3) The
state shall ensure the development and use of the Latvian sign language for communication
with the deaf.
(4) The
state shall ensure the preservation, protection and development of the
Latgalian written language as an historically-established variety of the
Latvian language.
Article
4
The
state shall ensure the protection, preservation and development of the Liv
language as the language of the indigenous population (autochtons).
Article
5
For the
purpose of this Law, any other language used in the Republic of Latvia, except
the Liv language, shall be regarded as a foreign language.
Article
6
(1)
Employees of state and municipal institutions, courts and agencies belonging to
the judicial system, state and municipal enterprises, as well as employees in
companies in which the state or a municipality holds the largest share of the
capital, must know and use the state language to the extent necessary for the
performance of their professional and employment duties.
(2)
Employees of private institutions, organisations, enterprises (or companies),
as well as self- employed persons, must use the state language if their
activities relate to legitimate public interests (public safety, health,
morals, health care, protection of consumer rights and labour rights, workplace
safety and public administrative supervision).
3)
Employees of private institutions, organisations and enterprises ( or companies
), as well as self-employed persons who, as required by law or other normative
acts, perform certain public functions must know and use the state language to
the extent necessary for the performance of their functions.
(4)
Foreign specialists and foreign members of an enterprise (or company)
administration who work in Latvia must know and use the state language to the
extent necessary for the performance of their professional and employment
duties, or they themselves must ensure translation into the state language.
(5) The
required level of the state language proficiency of the persons referred to in
paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of this Article, as well as the assessment procedure of
their state language proficiency, shall be set by the Cabinet of Ministers.
Article
7
(1) The
state language shall be the language of formal meetings and other business
meetings held by state and municipal institutions, courts and agencies
belonging to the judicial system, state or municipal enterprises and companies
in which the state or a municipality holds the largest share of the capital. If
the organisers consider it necessary to use a foreign language during the
meeting, they shall provide translation into the state language.
(2) In
all other cases when a foreign language is used at fonnal meetings and other
business meetings, the organiser shall provide translation into the state
language if so requested by at least one participant of the meeting.
Article
8
(1) At
state and municipal institutions, courts and agencies belonging to the judicial
system, state and municipal enterprises, as well as in companies in which the
state or a municipality holds the largest share of the capital, the state
language shall be used in record-keeping and all documents. Correspondence and
other types of communication with foreign countries may be conducted in a
foreign language.
(2)
Employees of private institutions, organisations, enterprises (or companies),
as well as self- employed persons, shall use the state language in
record-keeping and documents if their activities relate to legitimate public
interests (public safety, health, morals, health care, protection of consumer
rights and labour rights, workplace safety and public administrative
supervision).
(3)
Private institutions, organisations and enterprises (or companies), as well as
self-employed persons who perform public functions as required by law or other
normative acts shall use the state language in record-keeping and documents
which are required for performing their functions.
(4)
Statistical reports, annual reports, accountancy documents and other documents
which, according to law or other normative acts, are to be submitted to the
state or municipal institutions shall be in the state language.
Article
9
Contracts
of natural and legal persons about the provision of medical and health care
services, public safety and other public services in the territory of Latvia
shall be in the state language. If the contracts are in a foreign language, a
translation into the state language shall be attached.
Article
10
(1) Any
institution, organisation and enterprise (or company) shall ensure acceptance
and review of documents prepared in the state language.
(2)
State and municipal institutions, courts and agencies belonging to the judicial
system, as well as state and municipal enterprises ( or companies) shall accept
and examine documents from persons only in the state language, except for cases
set forth in paragraphs 3 and 4 of this Article and in other laws. The
provisions of this Article do not refer to the statements of persons submitted
to the police and medical institutions, rescue services and other institutions
when urgent medical assistance is summoned, when a crime or other violation of
the law has been committed or when emergency assistance is requested in case of
fire, traffic accident or any other accident.
(3)
Documents submitted by persons in a foreign languages shall be accepted if they
are accompanied by a translation verified according to the procedure prescribed
by the Cabinet of Ministers or by a notarised translation. No translation shall
be required for documents issued in the territory of Latvia before the date on
which this Law comes into force.
(4)
Documents received by state and municipal institutions, organisations and
enterprises (or companies) from foreign countries may be accepted and reviewed
without a translation into the state language.
Article
11
(1)
Events organised by state and municipal institutions, courts and agencies
belonging to the judicial system, state and municipal enterprises, as well as
by companies in which the state or a municipality holds the largest share of
the capital, shall be conducted in the state language. Should a foreign
language be used, translation into the state language shall be provided by the
organiser .
(2) In
events taking place in the territory of Latvia in which foreign natural and legal
persons participate and in which institutions mentioned in paragraph I of this
Article participate in the organising, one of the working languages shall be
the state language, and the organiser shall ensure translation into the state
language. In cases stipulated by the Cabinet of Ministers, the State Language
Centre may exempt the organiser from this requirement.
(3)
Taking into account the purpose of this Law and the basic principle of language
use as provided by Article 2 of this Law, the Cabinet of Ministers may
determine cases when, in serving legitimate public interests, organisers of
other events taking place in the territory of Latvia may be obliged to ensure
translation of the event into the state language.
(4) Use
of language in meetings, marches and pickets is provided for by the Law on
Meetings, Marches and Pickets.
Article
12
In the
structural units of the National Armed Forces, only the state language shall be
used except for cases when other laws and international treaties concluded by the
Republic of Latvia, as well as international treaties on the participation of
the National Armed Forces in international operations or exercises, stipulate
otherwise.
Article
13
Legal
proceedings in the Republic of Latvia shall be conducted in the state language.
The right to use a foreign language in court is prescribed by the laws
regulating court functions and procedures.
Article
14
The
right to receive education conducted in the state language is guaranteed in the
Republic of Latvia. The use of the state language in education is prescribed by
the laws regulating education.
Article
15
Research
papers qualifying for a scientific degree shall be submitted in the state
language or in a foreign language accompanied by a translation of a
comprehensive summary in the state language. Research papers may be publicly
presented in the state language or in a foreign language if the author agrees
and if the relevant council that confers scientific degrees approves.
Article
16
The
language of mass media broadcasts is regulated by the Law on Radio and
Television.
Article
17
(1)
Feature films, video films or their excerpts shown in public shall be provided
with a voice- over, dubbed in the state language or shown with the original
sound track and subtitles in the state language while observing accepted norms
of the literary language.
(2) In
the cases mentioned in this Article, subtitles in a foreign language are also
permissible. Subtitles in the state language shall be placed in the foreground
and shall not be smaller in size or less complete in content than the subtitles
in the foreign language.
Article
18
(1) In
the Republic of Latvia, place names shall be created and used in the state
language.
(2) The
names of public institutions, voluntary organisations and enterprises (or
companies) founded in the territory of Latvia shall be created and used in the
state language except for cases prescribed by other laws.
(3) The
names of events mentioned in Article II of this Law shall be created and used in
the state language except for cases prescribed by other laws.
(4) In
the territory of the Liv Shore, the place names and the names of public
institutions, voluntary organisations, enterprises (or companies), as well as
the names of events held in this territory, shall be created and used also in
the Liv language.
(5)
Creation and use of designations shall be prescribed by the Cabinet of
Ministers regulations.
Article
19
(1)
Personal names shall be reproduced in accordance with the Latvian language traditions
and shall be transliterated according to the accepted norms of the literary
language while observing the requirements of paragraph 2 of this Article.
(2) In
a person's passport or birth certificate, the person's name and surname
reproduced in accordance with Latvian language norms may be supplemented by the
historical form of the person's surname or the original form of the person's
name in another language transliterated in the Latin alphabet if the person or
the parents of a minor so desire and can provide verifying documents.
(3) The
spelling and the identification of names and surnames, as well as the spelling
and use in the Latvian language for personal names from other languages, shall
be prescribed by the Cabinet of Ministers regulations.
Article
20
(1) The
text on stamps and seals, except those mentioned in paragraph 3 of this
Article, shall be in the state language if stamps and seals are used on
documents which, according to this Law or other noffi1ative acts, shall be in
the state language.
(2)
Texts on letterheads, except those mentioned in paragraph 3 of this Article,
shall be in the state language if the letterheads are used on documents that,
according to this Law or other noffi1ative acts, shall be in the state
language.
(3) The
text on stamps and seals, as well as the text on letterheads of state and
municipal institutions, courts and agencies belonging to the judicial system,
state and municipal enterprises and companies in which the state or a
municipality holds the largest share of the capital, shall be only in the state
language except for the cases referred to in paragraph 4 of this Article. This
provision applies also to private institutions, organisations, enterprises (or
companies), as well as to self-employed persons who under law or other
noffi1ative acts per~offi1 certain public functions, if the perfoffi1ance of
these public functions involves the use of stamps, seals or letterheads.
(4) The
Cabinet of Ministers shall deteffi1ine cases in which the institutions and persons
mentioned in paragraph 3 of this Article may use also foreign languages along
with the state language in creating and using stamps, seals and letterheads.
(5) If
a foreign language is used along with the state language in the texts on
stamps, seals and letterheads, the text in the state language shall be in the
foreground and shall not be smaller in size or less complete in content than
the text in a foreign language.
Article
21
(1)
Information intended for the public provided by state and municipal
institutions, courts and agencies belonging to the judicial system, state and
municipal enterprises and companies in which the state or a municipality holds
the largest share of the capital shall be only in the state language except for
cases provided for by paragraph 5 of this Article. This provision shall apply
also to private institutions, organisations, enterprises (or companies), as
well as to self-employed persons who under law or other nonnative acts perform
certain public functions, if the performance of these functions involves the
providing of information.
(2)
Information on labels and markings on goods manufactured in Latvia, user
instructions, inscriptions on the manufactured product and on its packaging or
container shall be in the state language. In cases when a foreign language is
used along with the state language, the text in the state language shall be
placed in the foreground and shall not be smaller in size or less complete in
content than the text in the foreign language. These requirements do not apply
to goods meant for export.
(3) If
the markings, user instructions, warranties or technical certificates of
imported goods are in a foreign language, a translation of the above information
in the state language shall be attached to every imported item.
(4)
Information on signs, billboards, posters, placards, announcements and any
other notices shall be in the state language if it concerns legitimate public
interests and is meant to inform the public in places accessible to the public,
except for cases provided by paragraph 5 of this Article.
(5)
Taking into account the purpose of this Law and the basic principle of language
use as provide by Article 2 of this Law, the Cabinet of Ministers shall determine
cases when the use of a foreign language along with the state language is permissible
in information intended to inform the public in places accessible to the
public.
(6) The
Cabinet of Ministers shall also determine the cases when the institutions and
persons mentioned in paragraph 1 of this Article may provide information in a
foreign language and set the procedure for using the languages in information
mentioned in paragraphs 1,2,3, and 4 of this Article.
(7) If
a foreign language is used along with the state language in information, the
text in the state language shall be in the foreground and shall not be smaller
in size or less complete in content than the text in the foreign language.
Article
22
(1)
Standardised terminology shall be used in specialised teaching materials, in
technical documents and office documents. The creation and use of terms shall
be prescribed by the Terminology Commission of the Latvian Academy of Sciences
(hereafter, the Terminology Commission). New terms and their definition
standards may be used in official communications only after their approval by
the Terminology Commission and publication in the newspaper " Latvijas Vcstnesis"
.
(2) The
Statutes of the Terminology Commission shall be approved by the Cabinet of
Ministers.
Article
23
(1) In
official communications, the Latvian language shall be used in accordance with
the norms of the literary language.
(2) The
norms of the Latvian literary language shall be codified by the Commission of
the Latvian Language Experts of the State Language Centre.
(3) The
Statutes of the Commission of the Latvian Language Experts and the norms of the
Latvian literary language shall be approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
Article
24
(1) It
shall be the duty of state and municipal institutions to provide material
resources for the research, cultivation and development of the Latvian
language.
(2) The
state shall ensure the formulation of the state language policy which shall
include scientific research, protection and teaching of the Latvian language;
which shall augment the role of the Latvian language in the national economy;
and which shall promote individual and public awareness of the language as a
national value.
Article
25
Persons
who have violated the provisions of this Law shall be held liable in accordance
with the procedure set by law.
Article
26
(I) The
State Language Centre shall monitor the observance of this Law in the Republic
of Latvia.
(2) The
State Language Centre shall be subordinate to the Ministry of Justice, and
Statutes of the Centre shall be approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
Transitional
Provisions
1. This
Law shall come into force on 1 September 2000.
2. When
this Law comes into force, the Law on Languages of the Republic of Latvia
(Latvian SSR Supreme Council and Government Reporter, 1989, No.20) shall become
null and void.
3. By 1
September 2000, the Cabinet of Ministers shall adopt the regulatory acts
referred to in this Law and shall approve the Statutes of the Commission of the
Latvian Language Experts and the Statutes of the Terminology Commission.
The Law
was adopted by the Saeima on 9 December 1999.
The
President of the State: V.Vike-Freiberga
Riga,
21 December 1999
For
purposes of interpretation, the original Latvian text is to be regarded as
official.