State language legislation applied in Estonia
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From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1998 14:47:49 +0300 (EET DST)
Message-Id: <[email protected]>
Subject: State language legislation applied in Estonia
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Original sender: Andrei Arjupin <[email protected]>
State language legislation applied in Estonia
Deprivation of the deputy statute for inappropriate knowledge of the
state language
Despite of legal arguments of the member of the Sillamae Town Council,
the Ida-Virumaa District Court (second instance) has made the
decision to revoke his deputy mandate for violating the requirements
of the Local Government Council Election Act.
According to the statements of the Language department
representatives, the next circumstance was a ground for initiating of
the suit against deputy. As a chairman of the Town Council this person
carries out the council`s sessions in Russian. But the state language
of Estonian Republic is Estonian. It should to be mentioned that
Sillamae town is situated in localities where the language of the
suppressing majority of the population is Russian (96%). In the same
time Sillamae Town Council did not reach agreement with the Government
to use the language of the majority in its work.
Back to the suit, it is necessary to note that the aforementioned law
sets out only one requirement concerned with issue: "as a candidate
for member of the local government council may run every Estonian
citizen who is proficient in Estonian language pursuant to the level
provided for in the Law on language". There is only wish from the
state toward candidate's knowledge of Estonian in the content of the
Law on Language. The last did not establish certain language
requirements.
The judiciary of the Estonian Republic has 3 levels. So, the given
deputy has an opportunity to appeal to the last instance - the
National Court. Taking into consideration the circumstances of the
case, there is hope that the National Court will find fair solution
for this lawsuit.
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