Legislation

The National Council of the Slovak Republic

pursuant to the Constitution of the Slovak Republic and international instruments binding on the Slovak Republic,

respecting the protection and development of the fundamental rights and freedoms of the citizens of the Slovak Republic, who are persons belonging to national minority,

taking into consideration the existing legal acts in force which govern the use of national minority languages,

recognizing and appreciating the importance of mother tongues of the citizens of the Slovak Republic, who are persons belonging to national minority, as an expression of the cultural wealth of the State,

having in mind establishing of a democratic, tolerant and prosperous society in the context of an integrating European Community,

realizing that the Slovak language is the State Language in the Slovak Republic, and that it is desirable to regulate the use of the languages of the citizens of the Slovak Republic, who are persons belonging to national minority,

hereby passes the following Act:

Section 1

A citizen of the Slovak Republic who is a person belonging to a national minority has the right to use, apart from the State language1, his or her national Minority Language ("minority language" hereinafter). The purpose of this Act is to lay down, in conjunction with specific legal acts2, the rules governing the use of Minority Languages also in official communication.

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1 Section 1 paragraph 4 of Act of the National Council of the Slovak Republic No. 270 /1995 Coll. on State Language of the Slovak Republic

2 E.g., Section 18 of Civil Procedure Code, Section 2 paragraph 14 of Criminal Procedure Act No. 141/1961 Coll. (Code of Criminal Procedure), Section 7 paragraph 3 of Act No. 335/1991 Coll. On

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Section 2

(1) If the citizens of the Slovak Republic, who are persons belonging to a national minority, constitute according to the last census at least 20% of the inhabitants of a municipality, they may use a Minority Language in official communication within that municipality.

(2) The list of the municipalities referred to in paragraph 1 shall be determined by a regulation of the Government of the Slovak Republic.

(3) A citizen of the Slovak Republic who is a person belonging to a national minority shall have, in the municipality referred to in paragraph 1, the right to address written filings to the Governmental Agencies and self government bodies ("the body of public administration" hereinafter) also in a Minority Language. The body of public administration in the municipality referred to in paragraph 1 shall replay, apart from in the State language, also in the Minority Language, with exception of public documents.

(4) The decision made in this administrative proceeding3 by the body of public administration in the municipality referred to in paragraph 1 shall be issued except in the State language, also in a Minority Language in the form of a counterpart. In the event of any doubts, the text of the decision in the State language shall apply.

(5) The name of the body of public administration displayed on the buildings in the municipality referred to in paragraph 1 shall be given also in a Minority Language.

(6) The body of local self government in a municipality referred to in paragraph 1 shall provide the citizens official forms issued within its competence in the State language and, upon request, also in a Minority Language.

Section 3

(1) A session of the local self-government body in the municipality referred to in Section 2 paragraph 1 may be held also in a Minority Language, subject to the consent of all present persons.

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Courts and Judges, Section 23 of Act of the National Council of the Slovak Republic No. 38/1993 Coll. on the Organization of the Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic, Proceedings before the Court and the Status of Its Judges, Section 2 paragraph 1 of Act of the National Council of the Slovak Republic No. 300/1993 Coll. on Names and Surnames, Section 16 and Section 19 paragraphs 3 and 5 of Act of the National Council of the Slovak Republic No. 154/1994 Coll. on Registers, Section 1 paragraph 1 of Act of the National Council of the Slovak Republic No. 191/1994 Coll. on Displaying the Names of Municipalities in National Minority Languages, Section 5 paragraph 2 of Act of the Slovak National Council No. 255/1991 Coll. on the Slovak Radio, Section 3 paragraph 3 of Act of the Slovak National Council No. 254/1991 Coll. on the Slovak Television, Section 5 paragraph 1 (e) of Act No. 308/1991 Coll. on the Freedom of Religious Beliefs and on the Status of Churches and Religious Societies, Section 2 paragraph 8 of Act No. 212/1997 Coll. on Compulsory Copies of Periodical Publications, Non-periodical Publications and Duplicates of Audio-visual Works.

3Act No. 71/1967 Coll. on Administrative Proceedings (Administrative Procedure Code) as amended.

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(2) A member of the municipal council in the municipality referred to in Section 2 paragraph 1 shall have the right to use, at the meetings of that body, a Minority Language. The municipality shall secure interpretation.

(3) A chronicle of the municipality referred to in Section 2 paragraph 1 may be kept also in a Minority Language.

Section 4

(1) The municipality referred to in Section 2 paragraph 1 may display the names of the streets and other local topographical indications also in a Minority Language.

(2) In the municipality referred to in Section 2 paragraph 1 important information, in particular warnings, cautions and health information, shall be displayed in the publicly accessible places, apart from the State language, also in a Minority Language.

(3) The body of public administration in the municipality referred to in Section 2 paragraph 1 shall, within the scope of its competence, provide information on the generally binding legal provisions upon request apart from the State language, also in a Minority Language.

Section 5

(1) The right to use Minority Language in a proceeding before court and in other spheres is regulated by specific legal acts.2/

(2) The provisions of Section 2 paragraph 1 shall not apply to the pre-school education, system of primary and secondary schools or culture. The use of national Minority Languages in these areas is regulated by specific legal acts.4

Section 6

In application of this Act, the use of the Czech language in official communication shall, be deemed to fulfil the requirement of basic understanding with the State language, unless an international instrument binding on the Slovak Republic provides otherwise.

Section 7

(1) A body of public administration and its employees are obliged to use the State language in official communication1/ and, under conditions provided for under this Act and specific legal acts, they may also use a Minority Language. The body of public administration and its employees shall not be required to have the command of a Minority Language.

(2) A body of public administration in the municipality referred to in Section 2 paragraph 1 are obliged to create conditions for the use of Minority Languages under this Act and other specific legal acts.4/

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4 E.g., Section 3 paragraph 1 and Section 3a of Act No. 29/1984 Coll. on the System of Primary and Secondary Schools (School Act) as amended, Act of the National Council of the Slovak Republic No. 279/ 1993 Coll. on Educational Establishments as amended by Act of the National Council of the Slovak Republic No. 222/1996 Coll.

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Section 8

Section 10 of the Act of the National Council of the Slovak Republic No. 270/1995 Coll. on the State language of the Slovak Republic is hereby cancelled.

Section 9

This Act shall enter into effect on September1, 1999.

President of the Slovak Republic

Chairman of the National Council of the Slovak Republic

Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic

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