The Riigikogu has passed a bill amending the Military Service Act so that only those with at least B1-level Estonian skills will be drafted, newspaper Õhtuleht reported on Thursday. ERR also reported the change earlier this year.

Until now, young people have been able to begin service with lower-level language skills, which the EDF says hinders effective training.

The Estonian Defense Resources Agency (KRA) told ERR the requirement is necessary because training is conducted in Estonian and increasingly involves complex weapons, communications systems, and specialized terminology.

"A person with language skills below the B1 level cannot sufficiently understand instructions or course content, which in turn would prevent successful completion of effective military training," said communications manager Daisi Želizko-Kask.

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) says a person with B1-level proficiency can understand the main idea and key details of topics that regularly occur in everyday life and can generally follow short, direct speech on familiar subjects, provided standard language is used and pronunciation is clear.

Twenty percent

Approximately 20 percent of conscripts have started service with insufficient Estonian skills.

Minister of Defense Hanno Pevkur (Reform) said the change mainly affects conscripts who have not graduated from high school.

"If a young person has completed high school, they have received at least 60 percent of their instruction in Estonian, which guarantees B1-level proficiency," he noted.

"The defense forces must provide training at the same level for everyone, and it becomes difficult when some young people do not understand Estonian and cannot fully participate in training," the minister added.

Conscript status extended

Želizko-Kask also said that individuals without B1-level Estonian skills will not be placed in the reserve but will retain conscript status until the age of 27 (inclusive).

If their language skills improve during that time, they will be called up for service. If not, they will be assigned to the reserve upon turning 28.

The EDF will also stop providing Estonian language training.

Since 2019, the defense forces have offered remedial Estonian lessons to conscripts with limited language skills. Last year, 400 soldiers completed this training. The annual cost of this instruction is about €50,000.

"Assuming that going forward only conscripts with at least B1-level language skills will be drafted, there will no longer be a need to continue language instruction in its current form," Želizko-Kask said.

The KRA obtains information on a conscript's language skills from databases maintained by the Education and Youth Board.

The change will take effect once the president promulgates the law.

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