The Law for Languages: Albanian to cost Macedonia at least 1.7m euros

The implementation of the Law for Use of Languages will cost citizens of Macedonia at least 106 million denars.

In the first year 260 thousand euros from the state budget will be separated for the establishment of the Language Implementation Agency, whose task will be to implement legal provisions, but also for the Inspectorate for the use of languages, which will control how this law is implemented, writes Tv21.tv.tv.

“The bill will cause fiscal implications on the budget of the Republic of Macedonia, worth 106 million denaries, which will be provided from the RM budget for 2018. Tools needed for the functioning of new institutions in the first year are estimated at 16 million denars. There will also be a 90 million additional denars in the budget for 2018, which will be distributed to various budget users for the implementation of the provisions of this bill”, the amendment to the use of languages says.

The Agency's director, by law, will be elected on the part of the government, with a four-year term and the right to re-election.

In addition to authorized judicial translators, Latin - language linguistics and philologists will be employed on this body, as well as licensed lecturers.

The Law's “Article 8 for the use of languages envisions that in paper and coins money, as well as in postal stamps, they will adhere to symbols representing the cultural heritage of Macedonian-language citizens and the language spoken by at least 20% of citizens”.

The law envisions that in Skopje and in municipalities where at least 20% of citizens speak different languages, police, firefighters and health workers uniforms are in two languages.

In the same municipalities, the names of roads, squares, bridges and other infrastructure facilities will be written in Macedonian language, which at least 20% of residents speak, but also in languages accepted by the international community.

“At the border crossings of the Republic of Macedonia and at airports located in areas where at least 20% of citizens speak languages differently from Macedonian language, the names of institutions, other writings and road signs are written in Macedonian and its Cyrillic alphabet, as well as in the language spoken by at least 20% of citizens and its alphabet”, says Article 16, paragraph 2 of the Law for Use of Languages.

Immediately after the introduction of this law into force, the government will develop programmes to raise public awareness about its use.

It has also been forecast for a year, the provisions of other laws, to comply with the Law's provisions for the use of languages.