Ministry of Culture Bans Russian Language in Public Communication by Subordinate Institutions
Culture Minister Nauris Puntulis has ordered the ministry and its subordinate institutions to stop using Russian in advertisements, websites, and projects, enforcing state language requirements.
Latvia's Ministry of Culture, led by Minister Nauris Puntulis (National Alliance), has issued a directive to all its subordinate institutions and state-owned companies to strictly adhere to state language usage regulations. The order prohibits the use of Russian in any public communication related to the performance of official functions. This includes advertisements, official websites, supported or implemented projects, and organized international events.
Ministry representatives emphasize that this measure aims to uphold the primacy of the Latvian language in the public sphere. Consequently, cultural institutions such as theatres must remove Russian-language content from their websites, unless required by international obligations or specific legal provisions. The directive does not apply to private communication or artistic expression.
The decision is based on the existing State Language Law. While no specific deadline is mentioned, institutions are expected to comply immediately. This move may affect numerous state-funded cultural organizations that previously maintained multilingual content.
