Recommendation RecChL(2001)2 on the application of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages by Croatia
| Publisher | Council of Europe: Committee of Ministers |
| Publication Date | 19 September 2001 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | RecChL(2001)2 |
| Cite as | Council of Europe: Committee of Ministers, Recommendation RecChL(2001)2 on the application of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages by Croatia, 19 September 2001, RecChL(2001)2, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/53ff06384.html [accessed 25 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The Committee of Ministers,
In accordance with Article 16 of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages;
Bearing in mind the instrument of ratification submitted by the Republic of Croatia on 5 November 1997;
Having taken note of the evaluation made by the Committee of Experts of the Charter with respect to the application of the Charter by the Republic of Croatia;
Having taken note of the comments submitted by the Croatian authorities on the content of the report of the Committee of Experts;
Bearing in mind that this evaluation is based on information submitted by Croatia in its initial periodical report, supplementary information given by the Croatian Government, information submitted by bodies and associations legally established in Croatia, and information obtained by the Committee of Experts during its "on-the-spot visit",
Recommends that the Republic of Croatia take account of all the observations of the Committee of Experts and, as a matter of priority:
1. adopt and effectively apply the legal acts and regulations necessary to implement the existing constitutional provisions and basic statutory acts aimed at protecting and ensuring the use of regional or minority languages;
2. establish by legal means an adequate institutional infrastructure for the teaching in and of the regional or minority languages in accordance with the obligations of Croatia under Article 8 of the Charter, and in particular provide sufficient teaching materials and teacher training in regional or minority languages;
3. create institutional mechanisms that encourage direct participation of the users of regional or minority languages in planning, funding and organising cultural activities and in the field of the mass media;
4. create the necessary legal basis for the official use of regional or minority languages by state and regional administration as well as in the courts of law and in particular avoid abdicating to local authorities the choice as to where Articles 9 and 10 of the Charter will be applied;
5. re-examine the administrative divisions created since 1992 in order to overcome the obstacles to the promotion of the regional or minority languages created by these newly - established administrative divisions;
6. strengthen its mechanisms for monitoring the implementation of its undertakings, thus providing more comprehensive information;
7. make its periodical reports on the application of the Charter public, thus ensuring that the organisations and persons concerned are informed of the rights and duties established under the Charter and its implementation;
8. provide adequate financing for the measures intended to comply with the commitments undertaken under the Charter.
