The relevant amendments to the Official Language Law were submitted by deputies of the National Alliance.
The law currently provides that films, video films, and their fragments must be dubbed or subtitled in the official state language – Latvian – and in addition, subtitles in other foreign languages may also be allowed.
It is common, for example, to see movies at cinemas in Latvia that might have an English-language soundtrack and both Latvian and Russian subtitles.
The proposal by NA provides for subtitles to be allowed in official languages of the European Union, which means effectively banning them in Russian.
In the view of the politicians submitting them, the amendments will contribute to the integration of society, creating an incentive for all Latvian residents to learn and use the official language.
