Lithuanian waiter must speak Russian to get a job

It is now almost impossible to become a waiter at a resort restaurant in Lithuania without speaking Russian. “Russian language is the main requirement” – confirms the director of the Pusu Paunksneje restaurant of the same-name hotel in Palanga Mrs. Ramune Paulikenene.

According to her words, the hotel welcomes many Russian-speaking guests from Russia, Ukraine and Belorussia so the hotel staff must speak Russian. “Senior citizens still remember the language, but many youngsters don’t speak it” – said Mrs. Paulikenene.

The same applies to Zuvine Restaurant. “If a job seeker doesn’t speak Russian, we just won’t hire him. Almost 70% of our clients are Russians, who love fish and seafood” – says the bartender Mr. Gintaras Anuzis.

As per the Tourism Department’s data for the first quarter of 2011 out of the total number of tourists in Lithuania 21% came from Russia, 15% - from Belorussia, 13% - from Poland, 6% - from Germany. Most Russians come to the Baltic country from Moscow and Kaliningrad Region (that borders on Lithuania). The polling showed that 40% of the tourists rate their vacation as “good”, 56% - “very good”. As little as 0.4% said it was “bad” or “very bad”. During an average trip a Russian tourist spend €323 – report Euromag.