Martin Eessalu to lead Estonia’s Language Board

Estonia’s Minister of Education and Research will appoint Martin Eessalu as director-general of the Language Board, following a recommendation from the State Chancellery’s top civil service selection committee, ERR reported. His five-year term begins on January 1.

Eessalu said the board should put greater emphasis on prevention and support alongside enforcement. “The state’s aim is not to issue fines, but to promote the use of Estonian and strengthen its vitality,” he said.

He also highlighted the potential of language technology and artificial intelligence, and said the board should do more to promote Estonian and communicate about the language. Eessalu said it was also important to consider what institutional structure would best meet the board’s responsibilities. He pointed to the potential for more substantive cooperation with other organisations, particularly the Estonian Language Institute.

Eessalu has been the institute’s research and development director since 2023. Before that, he spent nine years in various language and research roles at the Ministry of Education and Research, most recently as head of research infrastructure. He served as acting director of the Estonian Literary Museum in 2020 and 2021 and holds a master’s degree in Estonian and Finno-Ugric linguistics from the University of Tartu.

He will succeed Ilmar Tomusk, who has led the Language Board and its predecessor, the Language Inspectorate, for more than 30 years. Tomusk did not apply for another term. The Language Board is a government agency under the Ministry of Education and Research. Its main duties are implementing language policy and overseeing compliance with the Language Act and other rules governing language use.