Legislation

1998

Article 1

(1) This law regulates the usage of the Macedonian language as the official language of the Republic of Macedonia (in the further text: the Republic).

(2) The Macedonian language, in the meaning of this law, is the Macedonian literary language and it's Cyrillic alphabet.

Article 2

(2) The usage of the Macedonian language as an official language is the right and duty of the citizens of the Republic.

Article 3

This law does not restrict the right to free creating and developing of the cultural, linguistic and religious identity of the citizens of the Republic.

Article 4

This law does not restrict the right of the persons belonging to minority to use, officially, the language and alphabet of the minorities in the units of local self-government, according to the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia and law.

Article 5

(1) The Macedonian language, besides it's use in the organs of state government, the organs of local self-government and the city of Skopje, is also used in:

- trade companies, enterprises, institutions and other legal persons registered in the Republic;

- the titles, advertisements and billboards of the legal persons;

- the titles and the instructions for the products, medicaments, labels, invoices etc.;

- the bills, the receipts and other information on the packaging of the products, medicaments etc.;

- the designation of the public places;

- the announcements in the public facilities and means of public transport;

- subtitling or dubbing of the movies and broadcasts in foreign languages that are broadcasted publicly;

- subtitling and dubbing in records of the Macedonian language when it is not in compliance with Article 1, paragraph 2 of this law, and that are not broadcasted live;

- international treaties and other international agreements concluded by the Republic and

- other similar cases.

(2) The exceptions of paragraph one of this article are regulated by law.

Article 6

The protection, the advancement and the enrichment of the Macedonian language is comprised particularly of:

- emphasized care for the use of the Macedonian language in the process of education and upbringing;

- stimulating the care for the use of the Macedonian language in the mass media, especially the press, the radio and the television;

- avoidance of the use of foreign phrases and borrowings and, if possible, their replacement with appropriate notion from the Macedonian vocabulary;

- affirmation of the need for enhanced social and individual care for the entity and the nature of the Macedonian language in public communication;

- affirmation of the Macedonian language worldwide;

- support of the study of the Macedonian language in the Republic in the Macedonian enclaves outsides of the borders of the Republic;

- activities in the sphere of appropriate linguistic education and culture, stimulation and support of programs, columns and broadcasts in the electronic and other mass media for the use of the Macedonian language as well as the creation of computer programs;

- awarding scholarships for the study of the Macedonian language;

- proposing candidates for state rewards and recognitions in the area of in-depth study and affirmation of the Macedonian language in the Republic and abroad;

- support for studies of the Macedonian language as a foreign language in and outside of the Republic, as well as giving linguistic assistance to interested persons;

- turning attention to the linguistic inconsistencies and irregularities in the use of the Macedonian language;

- organizing courses, seminars, workshops and other similar activities on the use of the Macedonian language and

- publication of works about the Macedonian language etc.

Article 7

(1) The official texts of the legislative, executive and judicial powers, local self-government, school books, shows, press, translations and other texts of article 5 paragraph 1 of this law, which are published, are mandatory edited in the Macedonian language.

(2) The proofreading can be performed by a person with completed studies at the Philological faculty - Macedonian language Group and passed examination for proofreader, as well as a person with high education about the Macedonian language with a program appropriate by quality and quantity to the program of the Macedonian language Group and passed examination for proofreader, in accordance with this law (hereinafter: proofreader).

Proofreading, without passing an examination for proofreader, can be performed by a person with a university level doctor of science in the field of the Macedonian language.

The name of the proofreader is, in an appropriate manner, published on the documents from paragraph 1 of this article or, respectively, the performed proofreading is documented in another appropriate manner. The proofreader can perform his duty as an extra-time activity in accordance with the regulation on trade companies.

Article 8

The government of the Republic of Macedonia, upon proposal by the Ministry of culture, the Ministry of education and physical education and the Ministry of science, founded a Council for Macedonian language, as an expert body (hereinafter: Council). The Council is composed of president and eight members selected from the eminent individual in the area of culture, science and education, with a mandate of four years with possibility to be re-appointed.

Article 9

The Council performs the following tasks:

- gives opinions, suggestions, directions and recommendations for the use, respectively, protection, advancement and enrichment of the Macedonian language, including the terminology of all scientific areas;

- acts in the direction of finding forms of and solutions for protection, advancement and enrichment of the Macedonian language;

- suggests programs for the protection, advancement and enrichment of the Macedonian language in all the areas of the official communication, which it files to the government of the Republic of Macedonia;

- acts in the field of adequate linguistic education and culture;

- cooperates with scientific institutions in the Republic and abroad;

- publishes works about the Macedonian language and

- performs other tasks related to article 6 of this law.

The Council adopts a program and rules of procedure for its work.

The Council reports to the government of the Republic of Macedonia once a year.

Article 10

The Minister of culture, based on proposal of the Council, forms a commission for performing the exam for proofreader (hereinafter: the Commission).

The Commission is composed of President and two members, from the experts in this area, with mandate of four years, with possibility for reappointment.

The Minister of culture, based on proposal of the Council, adopts regulation and program for the proofreader exam.

As an exception of article 7, paragraph 2 of this law, the proofreading without taking the proofreader exam can be performed also by individuals with particular contribution in the area of the Macedonian language designated by the Council.

Article 11

The Ministry of culture acts as an expert and administrative seat for the Council and for the Commission.

The Ministry of culture keeps record of the proofreaders in the Republic.

The budget of the Republic allocates the finances for the work of the Council and the Commission. The members of the Council, respectively, the Commission are paid appropriate re-numeration determined by the government of the Republic of Macedonia, respectively, the Minister of culture.

Article 12

The Ministry of culture performs the administrative supervision of the implementation of this law.

Article 13

Every legal person that publishes texts that have not been proofread (article 7, paragraph 1) will be fined from 10,000 to 200,000 denars.

The responsible person in the legal person when the misdemeanor from paragraph 1 of this article was committed due to his actions or due to his omission to act in the necessary supervision will also be fined from 1,000 to 35,000 denars.

For the misdemeanor from paragraph 1 of this article, a security measure of confiscation of objects with which the misdemeanor was committed can be sentenced.

Article 14

The government of the Republic of Macedonia will found the Council within two months from the day of the enactment of this law.

The Council will adopt the regulations from article 9, paragraph 2 of this law, within three months from the day of its founding.

The Ministry of culture will found the Commission from article 10, paragraph 1 of this law and will adopt the regulations from article 10, paragraph 3 of this law within six months from the day of the enactment of this law.

The legal persons will adjust their work with the regulations in this law within one year from the day of enactment of this law.

Article 15

The persons working as proofreaders on the day of the enactment of this law can proceed working as proofreaders if they pass the exam within six months from the day of the publishing of the regulations from the article 10, paragraph 3 of this law.

Article 16

This law enacts the eighth day from the day of its publishing in the "Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia".

Note: We acknowledge with thanks data from the MINERLES (Minority electronic Resources), http://www.riga.lv/minelres/; Source: "Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia", No. 05/98, unofficial translation

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