Many Vilnius Poles emigrated after World War II, others became Russian-speaking. Very important in this is the Baltic awareness of being part of the West, not merely being the westernmost part of an eastern empire. Lithuania did so. Latvia is discussing the law, slowly. This holdover of a colonial attitude is being joined by fear of unemployment.
Estonian law requires bi-lingual abilities for jobs involving the public.
Similar laws in South Africa delivered most government posts to the Boers because the English refused to learn Afrikaans. In each of the Baltic states the Russian-speaking minority is having to adjust to a new status. No longer a favored ethnic group, they now have to compete with people who feel they must redress former injustices. The Russian willingness to enter into the competion is therefore hampered by a fear that if they compete successfully, they will then face discrimination. In spite of this, perhaps a third of the Russians voted for independence.