Citizens of Russia and Belarus residing in Latvia, as well as those who were previously citizens or had the status of permanent residents of Latvia, must pass an exam in Latvian by September 1 of this year with a result not lower than the basic level (A2). It is reported by Mixnews.

Those who fail to prove language proficiency will be deprived of a permanent residence permit, and instead receive a temporary residence permit for a period of one year.

Relevant amendments to the rules of the Cabinet of Ministers on the scope of knowledge of the state language and the procedure for conducting the test were developed by the Ministry of Education and Science.

It is planned that this year more than 1 million. Euro. According to the calculations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 17,865 citizens of Russia and Belarus must pass the exam.

According to the State Education Center, the number of those who passed the exam has increased. The upward trend was outlined last year: in November, 572 people registered for the exam (passed 540), and in December - 1815 (passed 1662).

At the same time, an initiative to abolish amendments to the immigration law obliging permanent residents of Latvia with citizenship of Russia and Belarus to take an exam in knowledge of the state language has been submitted for consideration by the Saeima.. On the portal of public initiatives Manabalss. lv more than 10,000 citizens have signed up for this initiative.

In July, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky instructed Prime Minister Denys Shmygal to work out the issue of introducing a mandatory state language exam in Ukraine for obtaining citizenship..

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine at a meeting on October 18 adopted in the first reading amendments to the Law "