CIAO DATE: 04/04

Towards Linguistic Diversity Management in the Baltic States

Vadim Poleshchuk

May 23-25, 2002

European Centre for Minority Issues

Different foreign rulers have controlled Estonia and Latvia for 700 years. In 1920, both countries attained independence from Bolshevik Russia. However, the period of the countries' first independence was short: Estonia and Latvia were incorporated into the USSR in 1940.

Until the end of the nineteenth century, German was a dominant language in the official domain and in the educational system in Estonia and Latvia. Later this role was ascribed to Russian. For the first time, Estonian and Latvian became official languages in 1920. After the Soviet annexation of 1940, Russian was restored to its official status in both states, however, the official use of Estonian and Latvian was maintained.

Estonian and Latvian languages were important components of local identity and statehood. A low level of proficiency in local languages by minorities was perceived as a constant threat to the unity of relevant societies. These concerns were intensified by a rapid increase in the minority population under Soviet rule. Positive changes in the level of minorities' proficiency in local official languages have not yet been awarded with considerable attitudinal changes in regard to minorities among members of the majority population. Russian is the mother tongue for one third of the total population in Estonia and Latvia (see Tables 1, 2 and 3 in the Appendix), and ethnic Estonians and Latvians still consider themselves as minorities vis-à-vis Russians or Russian-speakers.

After 1991 Estonian and Latvian authorities promoted the 'repatriation' of newcomers from Soviet times to their kin-states. Rather strict linguistic requirements in the official and even private domain were stipulated to this end. However, these policies failed. Since 1997 and 1998 respectively, Estonia and Latvia have officially started to integrate their minority populations. Projects aimed at linguistic integration, which means that minority members will master the official languages, receive the overwhelming majority of all funding allocated to society integration programmes in Estonia and Latvia. During the accession period, the European Union paid special attention to, and provided financial support for, measures aimed at social integration in Estonia and Latvia.

Lithuania was incorporated into the Russian Empire at the beginning of the nineteenth century, i.e. approximately 100 years later than the larger part of Estonia and Latvia. For centuries Polish was used for official and semi-official communication in the country. Lithuanian regained its official status with the restoration of independence after the Russian October Revolution in 1917. Similar to the situations in Estonia and Latvia, Russian was used in parallel with Lithuanian as an official language under Soviet rule (1940 to 1991). At that time career opportunities in certain spheres — especially in industrial management and politics — in all three Baltic States were closely linked with the ability to speak and understand Russian.

In the early 1990s, Lithuanian authorities recognized almost anybody who was a permanent resident of Lithuania as a citizen. Thus, they avoided mass statelessness, which is a pending problem for both Estonia and Latvia. Lithuania has a more developed system for the protection of minority rights compared to the other two Baltic States. There are no limitations placed on the use of minority languages in upper secondary schools in Lithuania, while in Estonia and Latvia the ongoing education reform is a source of concern for many minority members.

Despite the differences between Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia, all three Baltic States are highly motivated to protect and promote their official (state) languages.

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