Estonia passes conscripts' B1 language proficiency requirement
The Riigikogu on Wednesday passed a law with 76 votes in favor requiring all conscripts entering compulsory military service to have at least B1-level proficiency in Estonian starting at the beginning of 2027.
The law stipulates that if a conscript did not receive their education in Estonian or if their language proficiency cannot be verified through official records, they must take a B1-level language exam. If the conscript does not pass the B1-level exam, they must complete a language course organized by the Integration Foundation within one year and then retake the exam.
The state will cover the cost of the initial language instruction and compensation will also be provided for participation in the language course and proficiency exam. The total cost of the language exams and courses — estimated at €400,000 per year — will be covered by the state budget.
The law also provides that if a conscript repeatedly fails without valid reason to attend language instruction or a proficiency exam, the Estonian Defense Resources Agency may impose coercive measures, including suspending the validity of the individual's driver's license or hunting rights, as well as fishing permits or firearms-related licenses.
The same measures can currently be applied when a person repeatedly and without valid reason fails to appear for a medical evaluation or compulsory military service. Under the law, the maximum coercive fine for failing to comply with an order will increase from €640 to €1,280.
The use of administrative coercive measures is intended to ensure that conscripts cannot deliberately delay acquiring the required language proficiency level and thereby avoid entering compulsory military service.
According to the explanatory memorandum, completing compulsory military service requires sufficient Estonian-language proficiency to understand commands, follow safety requirements and participate in training and the amendment will allow the Defense Forces to focus on their primary task of providing military training.
The Riigikogu National Defense Committee had already sought to establish a language proficiency requirement for conscripts through legislation passed in November of last year, but after the president declined to promulgate the law, lawmakers decided to address the issue through a separate bill.
The bill was drafted by a working group formed by the National Defense Committee that included, in addition to members of the Riigikogu, representatives from the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Education and Research, the Ministry of Culture, the Estonian Defense Resources Agency, the Education and Youth Board and the Integration Foundation.
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Editor: Mirjam Mäekivi, Marcus Turovski
