The European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party, convening in Barcelona, Catalonia on 19^th and 20^th November 2009:

The Slovak language law, recently adopted by the Slovak Parliament, raises grave concerns regarding the human rights of persons belonging to linguistic minorities in the European Union. The law is detailed and penetrates deeply into the everyday lives of linguistic minorities in the country by regulating the way meetings, gatherings and other forms of communication are carried out. As of September 1^st, 2009, minority-language schools and providers of health services are obliged to run their administration in Slovak. The armed forces, the police and the fire service will be monolingually Slovak. The use of minority languages could be criminalised in certain areas of the country.

Notes:

-         That according to the EU Treaties, language and minority policies fall under the competency of the Member States, which are supposed to know what is in the best interests of their own minorities.

Refers:

-         However, to the wording of Article 6 in the EU-treaty stating “the protection of persons belonging to national minorities is an integral part of the respect for human rights, which is one of the principles on which the Union is founded” and “Member States should use all legal instruments available to them in order to guarantee the rights of the persons belonging to national minorities in accordance with their constitutional order and international law obligations”;

-         To the European Charter for Fundamental Rights, which in its Article 21 prohibits discrimination on the basis of language and membership of national minorities.

-         To the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages and notes that the Slovak language law clearly breaches the principles of the Charter;

And:

-         Considers the new language law in Slovakia as going against the spirit and values of the European Union;

-         Questions how Slovakia can be a part of a multilingual EU while not tolerating a multilingual Slovakia;

-         Condemns the law, which will place up to 15 percent of the Slovak population in a secondary position while the linguistic majority will reap benefits on the basis of their ethnic identity.

Calls on:

-         The Slovak government to repeal the language law;

-         Calls on the European Commission to monitor the implementation of the European charter for Regional and Minority Languages in all EU countries;

-         The Commission to act in a more progressive and courageous way to protect the human rights of all citizens of the EU, including linguistic minorities.