Russia to exempt Belarusians from language test

Belarusians living in Russia will be exempt from Russian language tests. Amendments will be added to the law on foreigners’ residence in the Russian Federation, Russian President Vladimir Putin said after a meeting with Alyaksandr Lukashenka in Moscow on December 15.

Foreign citizens wishing to work and live in Russia have to pass Russian language, history and legislation tests as of January 1, 2015, he reminded. However, the new norms will not be applied to Belarusians ‘because of the special nature of Belarus-Russia elations’. The corresponding bill has already been prepared and is being discussed in the State Duma, Putin said.

The adoption of the document ‘would correspond to the principles of Belarus and Russia’s unity’, RIA Novosti quotes the Russian President.

Lukashenka thanked Putin for the decision and said that ‘the Russian language is our mother tongue’.

Photo: ria.ru, BELTA