Strasbourg, 23 September 2010 MIN-LANG/PR (2010) 7 EUROPEAN CHARTER FOR REGIONAL OR MINORITY LANGUAGES Second periodical report presented to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in accordance with Article 15 of the Charter SERBIA The Republic of Serbia The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages The Second Periodical Report Submitted to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Pursuant to Article 15 of the Charter Belgrade, September 2010 2 C O N T E N T S 1. INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………………………6 2. Part I …………………………………………………………………………………12 2.1. Legislative and institutional changes after the first cycle of monitoring of the implementation of the Charter …………………………………………………….12 2.1.1. Legislative changes ……………………………………………………….12 2.1.2. The National Strategy for the Improvement of the Status of Roma ……..17 2.1.3. Judicial Reform …………………………………………………………...17 2.1.4. Establishment of the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights …………..23 2.2. Novelties expected during the next monitoring cycle of the implementation of the Charter …………………………………………………………………………….24 2.2.1. The Census ………………………………………………………………..24 2.2.2. Election of the national councils of the national minorities ……………...26 2.3. Implementation of the recommendations of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (RecChL(2009)2) 28) …………………………………………29 2.4. Activities for the implementation of the box-recommendation of the Committee of Experts with regard to the implementation of the Charter ………………………...33 3. PART II Implementation of Article 7 of the Charter ……………………………..38 3.1. Information on the policy, legislation and practice in the implementation of Part II - Article 7 of the Charter ……………………………………………………………..38 3.1.1. Recognition of minority languages as cultural wealth ……………………39 3.1.2. Respect for the geographical areas of minority languages ……………….40 3.1.3. Resolute action to promote minority languages …………………………..40 3.1.4. Provision of conditions to facilitate and promote the use of minority languages ………………………………………………………………..41 3.1.5. Establishment of cultural links between the groups speaking minority languages ………………………………………………………………...41 3.1.6. Provision of the study of minority languages …………………………….41 3.1.7. Facilitation of the study of minority languages …………………………..41 3.1.8. Promotion of the studies and research of minority languages at universities ……………………………………………………………49 3.1.9. Promotion of trans-national exchange ……………………………………49 3.1.10. Elimination of unfavourable treatment of use of minority languages and adoption of special measures in favour of minority languages …………52 3.1.11. Promotion of mutual understanding between all language groups ……..54 3.1.12. Advisory bodies …………………………………………………………54 3.2. Information on the implementation of the Charter for Minority Languages for which obligations from Part III of the Charter are not taken over ……………………..54 3.2.1. Bunjevac speech …………………………………………………………..54 3.2.2. Vlach language ……………………………………………………………57 3.2.3. Macedonian language …………………………………………………….59 3.2.4. German language …………………………………………………………61 3.2.5. Czech language …………………………………………………………..63 3 3.3. Activities for the implementation of box-recommendation of the Committee of Experts related to Article 7 of the Charter ………………………………………65 3.3.1. Information on the practical use of Czech language by the administrative authorities and at the Municipal Court of Bela Crkva …………………..65 3.3.2. Information on the structured policy for the protection and promotion of Vlach language …………………………………………………………..66 3.3.3. Information on the activities to provide for the teaching of PART II languages of the Charter ………………………………………………..67 3.3.4. Information on the activities to promote awareness and tolerance vis-à-vis the minority languages and the cultures they represent …………………67 3.3.5. Information on provision of a stable legal basis for the functioning of national minority councils and magistrate meetings of the Republic of Serbia Council for National Minorities ………………………………….72 4. PART III IMPLEMENTATION OF MEASURES TO PROMOTE USE OF MINORITY LANGUAGES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE OBLIGATIONS CONTAINED IN ARTICLE 2 PARAGRAPH 2 OF THE CHARTER ……………75 4.1. Article 8 –Education ………………………………………………………………75 4.1.1. Legislative changes of relevance for the implementation of Article 8 of the Charter …………………………………………………………………..76 4.1.2. Pre-School education …………………………………………………….79 4.1.3. Primary education - Practice …………………………………………..…83 4.1.4. Secondary education – Practice ………………………………………….89 4.1.5. Technical and vocational education – Practice …………………………..92 4.1.6. University education – Practice ………………………………………….94 4.1.7. Adult education –Practice ………………………………………………100 4.1.8. Activities for the implementation of box-recommendation of the Committee of Experts concerning Article 8 of the Charter ………………………..100 4.2. Article 9 - Judicial Authorities ………………………………………………….102 4.2.1. Legislation relevant for the implementation of Article 9 of the Charter ..103 4.2.2. Criminal proceedings ……………………………………………………103 4.2.3. Civil proceedings ………………………………………………………..106 4.2.4. Administrative disputes …………………………………………………110 4.2.5. Activities for the implementation of box-recommendation of the Committee of Experts concerning Article 9 of the Charter ………………………..111 4.2.5.1. Information to citizens about the possibility of using minority languages in courts ……………………………………………………111 4.2.5.2. Availability of the most important statutory texts in minority languages ………………………………………………………………112 4.3. Article 10 - Administrative Authorities and Public Services …………………113 4.3.1. Submission of applications in minority languages to the state administration bodies …………………………………………………………………..114 4.3.2. Submission of applications in minority languages to local or regional authorities ………………………………………………………………114 4.3.3. Publishing of regional documents in minority languages ……………….117 4.3.4. Publishing of local documents in minority languages ………………….118 4 4.3.5. Use of traditional forms of place names in minority languages ………..119 4.3.6. Submission of applications to public services in minority languages ….125 4.3.7. Engagement of speakers of minority languages in public services …….127 4.3.8. Use and adoption of family names in minority languages ……………..127 4.3.9. Activities for the implementation of box-recommendations of the Committee of Experts concerning Article 10 of the Charter ………….129 4.3.9.1. Activities to ensure submission of oral and written applications to State authorities in minority languages ………………………………..129 4.3.9.2. Activities to ensure the publication of official documents in minority languages ……………………………………………………..129 4.4. Article 11 – Media ………………………………………………………………..131 4.4.1. Novelties after the first cycle of monitoring of the implementation of the Charter …………………………………………………………………132 4.4.1.1. Broadcasting licences for radio and TV programmes …………132 4.4.1.2. Measures for resolution of media issues ………………………133 4.4.2. Public broadcasting agencies …………………………………………....134 4.4.3. Encouragement and facilitation of radio in minority languages…………137 4.4.4. Encouragement and facilitation of television programmes in minority languages ……………………………………………………………….146 4.4.5. Encouragement and facilitation of production and distribution of audio and audio-visual works in minority languages ……………………………..151 4.4.6. Encouragement or facilitation of establishment and preservation of at least one newspaper in minority languages ………………………………….154 4.4.7. Representation of the interests of users of minority languages …………166 4.4.8. Activities for the implementation of box–recommendation of the Committee of Experts concerning Article 11 of the Charter …………..167 4.5. Article 12 - Cultural Activities and Facilities …………………………………..169 4.5.1. Encouragement of expression and access to works in minority languages ………………………………………………………………..169 4.5.1.1. Libraries ………………………………………………………171 4.5.1.2. Cultural clubs, cultural centres and cultural institutes ………..173 4.5.1.3. Protection of cultural goods (cultural monuments, museums and archives) ………………………………………………………………..174 4.5.1.4. Theatres ………………………………………………………..176 4.5.1.5. Publishing (literary works) …………………………………....182 4.5.1.6. Cultural manifestations ……………………………………..…193 4.5.2. Encouragement of access to works produced in minority languages …...201 4.5.3. Promotion of access of minority languages to works produced in other languages ………………………………………………………………203 4.5.4. Encouragement of direct participation of the users of minority languages in provision of the conditions and planning of cultural activities ………..204 4.5.5. Encouragement and provision of cultural activities in the territories different from those where minority languages are not traditionally used ……………………………………………………….205 4.6. Article 14 – Trans-National Exchanges………………………………………....206 4.6.1. Application of bilateral and multilateral arrangements ………………....206 5 4.6.2. Facilitation and improvement of co-operation between regional and local authorities ………………………………………………………………206 5. SUPPLEMENTS ……………………………………………………………….….209 5.1. Supplement of the National Council of the Bosniak National Minority ….209 5.2. Supplement of the National Council of the Bunjevac National Minority ..216 5.3. Supplement of the National Council of the Romanian National Minority ..219 6 1. INTRODUCTION 1. Pursuant to the provision of Article 15 of the European Charter on Regional or Minority Languages (hereinafter referred to as the Charter), which is ratified with the Law on