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Promoting Regional or Minority Languages in Central and Eastern Europe

Motion for a resolution | Doc. 13613 | 30 September 2014

Signatories:
Mr Bernd FABRITIUS, Germany, EPP/CD ; Ms Sybille BENNING, Germany, EPP/CD ; Mr Charlò BONNICI, Malta, EPP/CD ; Ms Aleksandra DJUROVIĆ, Serbia, EPP/CD ; Mr Axel E. FISCHER, Germany, EPP/CD ; Mr Hans FRANKEN, Netherlands, EPP/CD ; Ms Gabriela HEINRICH, Germany, SOC ; Mr Michael HENNRICH, Germany, EPP/CD ; Ms Elvira KOVÁCS, Serbia, EPP/CD ; Mr Thierry MARIANI, France, EPP/CD ; Ms Liliane MAURY PASQUIER, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Edgar MAYER, Austria, EPP/CD ; Mr Rubén MORENO PALANQUES, Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr João Bosco MOTA AMARAL, Portugal, EPP/CD ; Mr Joseph O'REILLY, Ireland, EPP/CD ; Ms Marija OBRADOVIĆ, Serbia, EPP/CD ; Mr Pieter OMTZIGT, Netherlands, EPP/CD ; Ms Biljana PANTIĆ PILJA, Serbia, EPP/CD ; Ms Jaana PELKONEN, Finland, EPP/CD ; Mr Kimmo SASI, Finland, EPP/CD ; Mr Frank SCHWABE, Germany, SOC ; Ms Lorella STEFANELLI, San Marino, EPP/CD ; Ms Karin STRENZ, Germany, EPP/CD ; Ms Anne-Mari VIROLAINEN, Finland, EPP/CD ; Ms Katrin WERNER, Germany, UEL

The Parliamentary Assembly reaffirms its support for the protection and promotion of regional and minority languages, as stated in the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages of 1992. The Assembly reiterates the unique significance of native-tongue education for strengthening the identities of minorities, which shall be protected.

The Assembly stresses the need for periodical reports by the State Parties, as foreseen in Article 15 of the Charter, and regrets that reports by certain countries in Central and Eastern Europe are several months, in some cases even several years overdue.

In the absence of such reports, which are intended to provide a solid basis for evaluating the situation of regional and minority languages, the Assembly resolves to examine the current situation of regional and minority languages in these States with a view to identifying and proposing suitable measures to redress any shortcomings.

This should include measures, to improve the information provided to the Assembly by the State Parties about the situation of their regional and minority languages.