The Constitutional Court of Riga has declared that individuals from Russia who possess permanent residency in Latvia can face lawful deportation if they do not successfully pass a language examination.

The decision has been condemned by the Moscow embassy in Riga as inhumane and ruthless. They have expressed concern that this move will endanger the well-being of the elderly Russian population residing in the Baltic country, where the average age exceeds 70.

The legislation, initially presented to the Saeima, the parliament of Latvia, in September of 2022, mandated that all individuals with Latvia’s permanent residency permits must successfully complete a Latvian language examination prior to September 1, 2023, or else be subjected to deportation. The time-frame for compliance was subsequently extended by an additional two years.

Latvia’s Constitutional court has officially acknowledged the new law in its Thursday decision, stating that its implementation is crucial for state security. The court emphasized that decisions would be case-specific and primarily target individuals who have not taken any actions to maintain their legal status within the country.

The Russian Embassy in Riga declared on its official Telegram channel that the Latvian legal system serves “the opportunistic interests of the current ruling elite of Latvia.” The embassy claimed that, in their attempt to vex Russia, the Latvian government resorts to reprisals against elderly individuals who hold Russian passports.

Russia claimed that Latvian legislators did not have “the courage” to admit the “moral and legal flaws” of this stern legislation. Instead, they sought to place the full responsibility on elderly Russian citizens, accusing them of being unwilling to learn the official language of the country they are residing in.

In the meantime, the Interior Ministry of Latvia declared that it will commence the confiscation of vehicles with Russian license plates within the country, sending them to Ukraine free of charge. This action follows the expiration of a deadline imposed by the Latvian government, mandating the local registration or removal of such vehicles, which occurred on Wednesday.