cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/7224815
From January 1, 2026, Latvia is set to prohibit the teaching of Russian as a second foreign language in schools.
Starting the same date, Russian-language TV and radio broadcasting will be banned in state media. Additionally, the VAT on sales of Russian-language books will increase to 21%.
These measures aim to reduce the presence of the Russian language and strengthen the role of the Latvian language in society.
Russian is the native language for 36% of Latvians.[1]
Considering that those Russians are either immigrants or children of immigrants, it is not the cultural eradication that you claim.
My friend is one of those 2nd gen immigrants and in the many conversations we’ve had, it’s been clear that those ethnic Russians in Latvia have no intention of ever learning Latvian. She herself never learnt Latvian as she said “Why? Everyone speaks russian”. They have no intention of adapting to Latvian culture or it’s practices. They see themselves as a Russian enclave within Latvia.
Other friends, who are ethnically Latvian all speak at least 3 languages (English is usually the 3rd one) and grew up having to speak Russian most of the time when not at home, in school or dealing with who they knew to be Latvian businesses.
So you think a “good” minority have to assimilate and if they don’t want to they need to be forced to? This is precisely what the cultural genocide is.
They migrated to Latvia, or any of the Baltic countries as part of Russian programs to asset dominance over satellite Soviet states. Similar to how China flooded Tibet with Han population and the British did in Northen Ireland.
Latvia isnt banning them speaking Russian but putting Latvia as the primary language in their own country when its been sidelined for decades.