RIGA, Jan 13 (LETA) - The groups of free Latvian language courses for the first half of the year in Riga are full, the External Communications Department of Riga City Council informed LETA.

Applications for the free Latvian language courses opened on Monday, and the groups for the first half of the year were filled to capacity already on the first day.

People can still apply for available places in groups that will start learning the language in the fall.

Information about the locations of the courses and application procedures is available on the website apkaimes.lv or by calling the Riga information line 1201.

The municipality has been implementing a project competition for Latvian language learning for adult residents of Riga since 2011. During this period, thanks to municipal co-funding, more than 16,300 residents of Riga have learned Latvian at the basic A or intermediate B level.

The municipality co-funded free Latvian language courses are available at four educational institutions. This year, the courses will cost the municipality's budget EUR 150,188.