On Thursday, January 30, amendments to the Law on Credit Institutions will come into force in Latvia, which provide for a ban on the use of Russian language in ATMs.
This is reported by Delfi, according to “European Pravda”.
The government made the corresponding decision last year – although there were discussions at the time about how this step would affect the elderly.
The Latvian Seimas adopted amendments to the Law on Credit Institutions last September. According to the amendments, ATMs must be set to the Latvian language (including Latgalian). They can also be set to the official languages of EU and OECD member states or candidate countries.
In Latvia, cashless payments are increasingly used as the main method of payment. However, despite the growth of non-cash payments, cash remains relevant.
According to the Bank of Latvia's “Payment Radar” survey, in February 2024, cash payments accounted for an average of 23% of everyday payments.
Earlier, the Latvian government coalition agreed to adopt a law that would limit the ability of Russian citizens to purchase land in Latvia.
And in June, the Latvian Seimas adopted amendments to the Immigration Code, which stipulate that several thousand Russians living in Latvia will be required to take a Latvian language exam in order to retain their right to reside in the country.