Official Use of Languages and Scripts in the AP Vojvodina
The Constitution of the Republic of Serbia ("Official Gazette of the RS", No. 83/06), Article 10, stipulates that the Serbian language and Cyrillic script shall be in the official use in the Republic of Serbia, while the official use of other languages and scripts shall be regulated by law, based on the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia. In addition, the provision of Article 79 specifies the right of people belonging to minority national communities to preserve specificities, which shall also include the right to use their own languages and scripts.
The Statute of the AP Vojvodina ("Official Journal of the APV", No. 20/2014), Article 24, paragraph 1, stipulates that the Serbian language and Cyrillic script shall be in the official use in authorities and organisations of the AP Vojvodina, as well as the Hungarian, Slovak, Croatian, Romanian and Ruthenian languages and their respective scripts. In addition, paragraph 2 also prescribes that authorities of the AP Vojvodina, within the scope of their competences, shall undertake measures aimed at consistent implementation of the official use of languages and scripts of national minorities-national communities, laid down by law.
The Statute of municipality or city stipulates languages and scripts in the official use in the territory of respective municipality, city or certain settlements.
Table: Languages and scripts in the official use in statutes of cities and municipalities in the territory of the AP Vojvodina
Article 76 of the Law on Establishing the Competences of the AP Vojvodina ("Official Gazette of the RS", No. 99/09 and 67/2012- the Decision of the Constitutional Court), prescribes that the autonomous province, through its authorities, shall perform the inspection in the field of the official use of languages and scripts in the territory of the AP Vojvodina-as a delegated task.
Two laws are crucial for regulating the right to the official use of minority languages: the Law on the Official Use of Languages and Scripts ("Official Gazette of the RS", no. 45/91, 53/93 – other law, 67/93 – other law, 48/94 – other law, 30/10, 101/05 – other law, 47/18 and 48/18 - correction) and the Law on the Protection of Rights and Freedoms of National Minorities ("Official Journal of the FRY", no. 11/02, "Official Gazette of Serbia and Montenegro", no. 1/03 - the Constitutional Charter and "Official Gazette of RS", no. 72/09 – other law and 97/13 – Decision of the CC and 47/2018).
Since the Law on the Protection of Rights and Freedoms of National Minorities established, and the Serbian Constitution confirmed, the right to cultural autonomy of national minorities, which includes the right to the official use of languages and scripts, these two fundamental laws should also include the Law on National Councils of National Minorities ("Official Gazette of the RS", no. 72/09 20/2014-Decision of the CC of RS, 55/2014 and 47/2018), which regulates the competences of national councils to exercise the right to the official use of minority languages.
Constitution of the Republic of Serbia ("Official Gazette of RS" no. 98/06) Download
Law on Establishing the Competences of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina ("Official Gazette of RS" no. 99/09, 67/12 - Decision of the CC) Download
Law on the Official Use of Languages and Scripts ("Official Gazette of the RS", no. 45/91, 53/93 – other law, 67/93 – other law, 48/94 – other law, 30/10, 101/05 – other law, 47/18 and 48/18 - correction) Download
Law on the Protection of Rights and Freedoms of National Minorities ("Official Journal of the FRY", no. 11/02, "Official Gazette of Serbia and Montenegro", no. 1/03 - the Constitutional Charter and "Official Gazette of RS", no. 72/09 – other law and 97/13 – Decision of the CC and 47/2018)
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Law on National Councils of National Minorities ("Official Gazette of the RS", no. 72/09 20/2014-Decision of the CC of RS, 55/2014 and 47/2018) Download
The Statute Of The Autonomous Province Of Vojvodina ("Official Gazette of AP Vojvodina", number 20/2014) Download
Annual inspection plan on the implementation of the official use of languages and scripts in the territory of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina for 2020 Download
Official use of languages in AP Vojvodina