Russian MPs have urged their government to impose economic sanctions on Latvia, where the Latvian language will be made compulsory in all secondary schools.
The language reform is being phased in; by September 2021 all 16 to 18-year-olds will be taught only in Latvian.
More than a quarter of Latvia's 2.2m people are ethnic Russians, most of whom are taught in Russian. However, the only official language is Latvian.
Russia has long accused EU member Latvia of undermining minority rights.
Tensions have been simmering for years, partly because Latvia and its Baltic neighbours Estonia and Lithuania are Nato members. During the Cold War they were under communist rule from Moscow.
The drive to make Latvian the only language in secondary education will begin next year.
Bilingual or Russian-only teaching will continue for younger children whose mother tongue is Russian.
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According to 2016 data from the Latvian government, 811 Latvian schools are state-funded, including 94 schools where the teaching is in Russian or bilingual.
Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis said the language reform would improve equal opportunities for all citizens. “It will make society more cohesive and the state stronger,” he said.
In response, the Russian Duma (lower house) resolution called it a violation of internationally recognised rights.
The MPs, overwhelmingly supporters of President Vladimir Putin, said sanctions on Latvia could include…
