# CE2004078EN.01095001.xml

| 27.3.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 78/950 |
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27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 78/950

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(2004/C 78 E/1005)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0310/04

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(6 February 2004)

Subject:   Further reduction of educational facilities for the long-established Sorbian-speaking community in Lausitz, eastern Germany

Subject:

| 1. | Is the Commission aware that in Lausitz, the Sorbian-speaking part of the east German Länder of Brandenburg and Saxony, a fresh conflict is brewing over educational facilities available to the Sorbian community, who belong to the Slavonic language group and who have lived in the region for centuries, as a result of the planned closure of the school in the village of Most (Heinersbrück) to the north-east of Chośebuz (Cottbus), after the school in Chrósčicy (Crostwitz) to the west of Budišin (Bautzen) was threatened with closure last year, and that problems have arisen because of a lack of teaching staff able to give lessons in Sorbian at Chośebuz secondary school? |
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1.

Is the Commission aware that in Lausitz, the Sorbian-speaking part of the east German Länder of Brandenburg and Saxony, a fresh conflict is brewing over educational facilities available to the Sorbian community, who belong to the Slavonic language group and who have lived in the region for centuries, as a result of the planned closure of the school in the village of Most (Heinersbrück) to the north-east of Chośebuz (Cottbus), after the school in Chrósčicy (Crostwitz) to the west of Budišin (Bautzen) was threatened with closure last year, and that problems have arisen because of a lack of teaching staff able to give lessons in Sorbian at Chośebuz secondary school?

| 2. | Does the Commission recall the justified efforts made by the EU to safeguard the use of Albanian, a language discriminated against and placed under threat by the authorities, in the north-west of the (former Yugoslav) Republic of Macedonia? |
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2.

Does the Commission recall the justified efforts made by the EU to safeguard the use of Albanian, a language discriminated against and placed under threat by the authorities, in the north-west of the (former Yugoslav) Republic of Macedonia?

| 3. | How does the Commission view the fact that inhabitants of EU Member States, who are not immigrants but live on the territory historically inhabited by their ancestors, are being forced to change their choice of language because they are compelled by official policy to use a language other than their own for their education, participation in the political process, information or employment? |
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3.

How does the Commission view the fact that inhabitants of EU Member States, who are not immigrants but live on the territory historically inhabited by their ancestors, are being forced to change their choice of language because they are compelled by official policy to use a language other than their own for their education, participation in the political process, information or employment?

| 4. | Does the Commission view the guaranteeing of linguistic and cultural diversity in Europe as one of its central tasks, thereby preventing ethnic divisions, possible outbreaks of violence and the creation of second-class citizens deprived of education and administration in their own language? |
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4.

Does the Commission view the guaranteeing of linguistic and cultural diversity in Europe as one of its central tasks, thereby preventing ethnic divisions, possible outbreaks of violence and the creation of second-class citizens deprived of education and administration in their own language?

| 5. | How is the Commission encouraging Member States to resolve this kind of problem, bearing in mind Member States' own powers and in keeping with Articles 49 and 151 of the EC Treaty, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms? Is the Commission calling for a raising of awareness of the diversity of peoples, languages and cultures in order to create a Europe permanently free of ethnic conflict? |
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5.

How is the Commission encouraging Member States to resolve this kind of problem, bearing in mind Member States' own powers and in keeping with Articles 49 and 151 of the EC Treaty, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms? Is the Commission calling for a raising of awareness of the diversity of peoples, languages and cultures in order to create a Europe permanently free of ethnic conflict?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(8 March 2004)

(8 March 2004)

| 1. | The Commission has taken note of the information on the situation involving Slavonic-speaking Sorbians based in Lausitz. |
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1.

The Commission has taken note of the information on the situation involving Slavonic-speaking Sorbians based in Lausitz.

| 2. | The use of Albanian as an official language in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has been one of the core components of the negotiation of the Framework Agreement signed in Ohrid in August 2001 to settle peace and guarantee the unity and multi-ethnic dimension of the country. Minority languages are recognised as official languages in addition to the Macedonian language, for those minorities reaching 20 % of the population. |
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2.

The use of Albanian as an official language in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has been one of the core components of the negotiation of the Framework Agreement signed in Ohrid in August 2001 to settle peace and guarantee the unity and multi-ethnic dimension of the country. Minority languages are recognised as official languages in addition to the Macedonian language, for those minorities reaching 20 % of the population.

| 3. | In the area of education, Article 149 of the EC Treaty provides that the content of teaching and the organisation of education systems are the responsibility of the Member States. |
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3.

In the area of education, Article 149 of the EC Treaty provides that the content of teaching and the organisation of education systems are the responsibility of the Member States.

| 4. | In order to safeguard cultural and linguistic diversity, which is recognised as an integral part of the European cultural heritage, the Community acts within the limits of the powers conferred on it by the Treaties. In application of Article 151 (4) of the EC Treaty, which provides that cultural aspects must be taken into account in all Community action, projects to promote and safeguard regional and minority languages have been financed under existing Community actions and programmes such as Socrates and Interreg. |
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4.

In order to safeguard cultural and linguistic diversity, which is recognised as an integral part of the European cultural heritage, the Community acts within the limits of the powers conferred on it by the Treaties. In application of Article 151 (4) of the EC Treaty, which provides that cultural aspects must be taken into account in all Community action, projects to promote and safeguard regional and minority languages have been financed under existing Community actions and programmes such as Socrates and Interreg.

| 5. | The rights of minorities are among the principles common to the Member States, which are listed in Article 6 of the Treaty on European Union. These principles have been solemnly reaffirmed by the Charter of fundamental rights of the European Union (1). Article 22 calls for cultural, religious and linguistic diversity to be respected. It should also be noted, however, that Article 51 of the Charter provides that its provisions are addressed to the institutions and bodies of the Union with due regard for the principle of subsidiarity and to the Member States only when they are implementing Union law.
  In its action plan, ‘Promoting Language Learning and Linguistic Diversity’ (2), the Commission proposes measures to be taken at EU level from 2004 to 2006 in order to create a language-friendly environment. |
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5.

The rights of minorities are among the principles common to the Member States, which are listed in Article 6 of the Treaty on European Union. These principles have been solemnly reaffirmed by the Charter of fundamental rights of the European Union (1). Article 22 calls for cultural, religious and linguistic diversity to be respected. It should also be noted, however, that Article 51 of the Charter provides that its provisions are addressed to the institutions and bodies of the Union with due regard for the principle of subsidiarity and to the Member States only when they are implementing Union law.

1

In its action plan, ‘Promoting Language Learning and Linguistic Diversity’ (2), the Commission proposes measures to be taken at EU level from 2004 to 2006 in order to create a language-friendly environment.

2

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(1)  OJ C 364, 18.12.2000.

1

(2)  COM(2003) 449 final.

2

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