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CoE report praises minority language protection efforts in Croatia

Xinhua, April 21, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CoE) has praised efforts by Croatia to protect minority languages in a report issued on April 15, and made public in a press release on Monday.

The committee expressed its appreciation for "the positive climate of dialogue with the Croatian authorities on minority language protection," and for extending its efforts to include German, Slovenian, and Roma languages.

The evaluation report concerned the application of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, which went into force in Croatia in March 1998.

The charter, created to "protect and promote the historical regional or minority languages of Europe," according to CoE documentation, specifically addresses the right for minorities to be able to use their languages in both private and public life.

Accordingly, the CoE report also calls on Croatia to take measures for minority languages to be used while interacting with state, regional, and local authorities. It also encourages the Croatian government to use minority languages in public signs and local names, where appropriate.

Media is also a focus, with the report welcoming "the launch of a minority television programme" while also encouraging Croatia "to increase the broadcast time and the regularity of television programmes in each minority language."

According to the CoE, 33 member states have signed the charter, with Croatia being the 5th of 25 countries to have ratified it. Endit