PRESS RELEASE
Council of Europe publishes report on minority languages in Croatia
Strasbourg, 8 December 2010. The Council of Europe Committee of Ministers has today made public the fourth report on the application of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in Croatia. The report has been drawn up by a committee of independent experts, which monitors the application of the Charter.
On the basis of this report, the Council of Europe urges Croatia to ensure that speakers of the minority languages can use them in practice in relations with the relevant branches of the State administration.
Furthermore, the Council of Europe calls on Croatia to improve the system of minority language education to make it more easily accessible. The Croatian authorities are in particular encouraged to strengthen the teaching of Slovak, Ruthenian and Ukrainian at all appropriate stages of education.
The Council of Europe also recommends the Croatian authorities to continue their efforts to introduce equal and official use of minority languages in municipalities.
Croatia should also continue efforts to promote awareness and tolerance vis-à-vis the regional or minority languages and the cultures they represent, both in the general curriculum at all stages of education and in the media.
The full report and Committee of Ministers' recommendations can be downloaded from the Charter website (www.coe.int/minlang) (in the "Documents" section).
Further information can also be found on the Charter’s website or by contacting the Charter Secretariat (Council of Europe, F-67075 Strasbourg, minlang.secretariat@coe.int, tel. +33 (0)3 88 41 31 86).
