In its fourth report on the Czech Republic, the Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages of the Council of Europe notes that the Czech Republic has made progress in implementing its commitments under the Charter, but also draws attention to some important shortcomings.

The greatest progress has been made in financing cultural activities related to minority languages. A new multilingual television programme has been launched to enhance the atmosphere of respect, tolerance and mutual understanding between the linguistic groups of the country.

The experts praise measures such as the development of teaching materials and the publication of a Roma dictionary. Another welcome step is the amendment of the Law on Municipalities, which extended the category of those who may apply for topographical signs in the language of the national minority from the committees to national minorities to their associations.

On the other hand, the Committee of Experts points out some weaknesses. For instance, the ratio required in municipalities for establishing committees on national minorities remains at 10% of the total population, which hinders the application of the Charter.

In its previous evaluation reports, the Committee of Experts urged the Czech authorities to remove from the legislation the condition that a person must declare that he or she does not have a command of Czech before they can use a minority language in criminal proceedings. However, the situation has not changed and the Czech Republic does not yet comply with its commitment to allow the use of Polish and Slovak by persons from these minorities independently of their knowledge of Czech.

In a Recommendation adopted this week in respect of the expert´s report, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe recommends that the Czech Republic take account of all the observations and recommendations of the Committee of Experts and, as matter or priority:

• Continue efforts to promote awareness and tolerance vis-à-vis all regional or minority languages and the cultures they represent as an integral part of the cultural heritage of the Czech Republic, both in the general curriculum at all stages of educational and in the media
• Adopt a structured policy for the protection and promotion of German including by making teaching in or of German available as a minority language in cooperation with the German speakers and create favorable conditions for its use in public life.
• Further protect and promote Romani, including by extending teaching of Romani as a minority language in cooperation with the Romani speakers, and create favourable conditions for its use in public life.

The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages is the European convention for the protection and promotion of languages used by traditional minorities. The Charter entered into force in the Czech Republic in 2007 and applies to the following languages: German, Moravian Croatian, Polish, Romani, and Slovak.