Minority languages of Croatia#Municipalities with minority languages in official use

{{main|Serbian language in Croatia}}

File:Škola u Trpinji.jpg]]

File:Dalj_Street_sign.JPG and Serbian in Dalj, eastern Croatia]]

Education in Serbian is primarily offered in the area of former Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia based on Erdut Agreement. With those school since 2005 there is also Kantakuzina Katarina Branković Serbian Orthodox Secondary School in Zagreb.

Serb National Council publish weekly magazine Novosti since December 1999. There are also monthly magazines Identitet, published by Serb Democratic Forum, Izvor, published by Joint Council of Municipalities, youth magazine Bijela Pčela and culture magazine Prosvjeta, both published by Prosvjeta and Forum published by Serb National Council from Vukovar. There are also three local radio stations in Serbian in eastern Slavonia such as Radio Borovo. Since 1996 Central library of Prosvjeta works as the official Central Library of Serbs in Croatia as well.{{cite web|url=http://hkdrustvo.hr/hkdnovosti/clanak/1211|title=Centralna biblioteka Srpskog kulturnog društva "Prosvjeta" – centar kulture Srba u Hrvatskoj |publisher= Novosti-Hrvatsko knjižničarsko društvo |author=Snjezana Čiča |date= April 2016 |access-date=22 September 2017}} Prosvjeta's library was established on 4 January 1948 and at that time it had 40,000 volumes mostly in national literature including most of the books from XVIII and XIX century. In 1953 authorities made a decision to close the library and to deposit its books in Museum of Serbs of Croatia, National and University Library in Zagreb and Yugoslav Academy of Sciences and Arts. Library was reestablished in January 1995 and until 2016 it included more than 25,000 volumes in its collection.

Department of South Slavic languages at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Zagreb has a The Chair of Serbian and Montenegrin literature.{{cite web|url=http://www.ffzg.unizg.hr/slaven/juzslav/en/about-the-department/the-chair-of-serbian-and-montenegrin-literature/ | title=The Chair of Serbian and Montenegrin Literature | author=Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences | author-link=Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb | publisher=University of Zagreb | language=en | access-date=22 September 2017}} Among the others, lecturers of Serbian literature at the university over the time were Antun Barac, Đuro Šurmin and Armin Pavić.

In the first years after introduction of new Constitutional Act on the Rights of National Minorities some local governments resisted implementation of its legal obligations. In 2005 Ombudsman report, municipalities of Vojnić, Krnjak, Gvozd, Donji Kukuruzari, Dvor and Korenica were mentioned as those that do not allow the official use of Serbian, although the national minority in these places meets the threshold provided for in the Constitutional Act.{{cite web|url=http://www.ombudsman.hr/dodaci/058_report-national-minorities-in-croatia-hrc-april-2005.pdf|title=The Position of National Minorities in the Republic of Croatia–Legislation and Practice, page 18|publisher=ombudsman.hr|access-date=19 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924060051/http://www.ombudsman.hr/dodaci/058_report-national-minorities-in-croatia-hrc-april-2005.pdf|archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=dead}} The report pointed out that Serbian minority in Vukovar can not use Serbian although minority constituted less than one percent less population than it was prescribed by law. After 2011 Croatian census Serbs of Vukovar meet the required proportion of population for co-official introduction of Serbian but it led to Anti-Cyrillic protests in Croatia. In April 2015 United Nations Human Rights Committee urged Croatia to ensure the right of minorities to use their language and alphabet.{{cite web|url=http://www.b92.net/eng/news/region.php?yyyy=2015&mm=04&dd=03&nav_id=93697|title=UN calls on Croatia to ensure use of Serbian Cyrillic|work=B92.net|date=3 April 2015|access-date=19 June 2015}} Committee report stated that particularly concerns the use of Serbian Cyrillic in the town of Vukovar and municipalities concerned. The Constitutional Court of Croatia upheld the legislation on the use of minority languages. It relied on a newly developed concept of national identity.{{Cite journal|last1=Toplak|first1=Jurij|last2=Gardasevic|first2=Djordje|date=2017-11-14|title=Concepts of National and Constitutional Identity in Croatian Constitutional Law|journal=Review of Central and East European Law|language=en|volume=42|issue=4|pages=263–293|doi=10.1163/15730352-04204001|issn=1573-0352}}

{{main|Italian language in Croatia}}

File:ItalSchoolRijeka.jpg]]

The Italian language is an official minority language in Croatia, with many schools and public announcements published in both languages. Croatia's proximity and cultural connections to Italy have led to a relatively large presence of Italians in Croatia. Italians were recognized as a state minority in the Croatian Constitution in two sections: Istrian Italians and Dalmatian Italians. Their numbers drastically decreased following the Istrian–Dalmatian exodus (1943–1960).

Italian minority has realized much greater rights on bilingualism than other minority communities in Croatia. La Voce del Popolo is an Italian-language daily newspaper published by EDIT (EDizioni ITaliane) in the city of Rijeka. Central Library of Italians in Croatia operates as a section of Public library in Pula.{{cite web|url=http://www.min-kulture.hr/default.aspx?id=200|title=Središnje knjižnice nacionalnih manjina |publisher= Ministarstvo kulture |access-date=22 September 2017}}

Even though today only 0.43% of the total population is Italian by citizenship, many more are ethnically Italian and a large percentage of Croatians speak Italian, in addition to Croatian. An estimated 14% of Croats speak Italian as a second language, which is one of the highest percentages in the European Union.{{Citation |author=Directorate General for Education and Culture |author2=Directorate General Press and Communication |title=Europeans and their Languages |date=2006 |url=http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_243_en.pdf |access-date=2010-03-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414102658/http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_243_en.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=2016-04-14 |mode=cs1}}

File:Hungarian house Čakovci 3-Magyar haz-Mađarska kuća-Мађарска кућа у Чаковцима.JPG in Vukovar-Syrmia County.]]

In 2004, the Hungarian minority asked for introduction of Hungarian language in town of Beli Manastir as an official language, referring to the rights acquired prior to 1991. Hungarian minority at that time constituted 8,5% of town population. Central Library of Hungarians in Croatia operates as a section of Public library in Beli Manastir.

6,287 declared Czechs live in Bjelovar-Bilogora County.{{cite web|url=http://bbz.hr/vijesti/detaljnije/dan-materinjeg-jezika|title=DAN MATERINJEG JEZIKA|work=Bjelovar-Bilogora County|date=22 February 2015|access-date=19 June 2015}} 70% of them stated that their native language is Czech. Ambassador of Czech Republic in Croatia stated that intention to limit usage of Serbian Cyrillic would negatively affect Czechs and other minorities in Croatia.{{cite web|url=http://www.vecernji.hr/kosatka-reci-ne-moze-cirilici-znaci-biti-i-protiv-ceha-909792|title=Košatka: Reći 'ne može' ćirilici znači biti i protiv Čeha|work=Večernji list|date=18 December 2013|access-date=19 June 2015}} Central Library of Czechs in Croatia operates as a section of Public library in Daruvar. In an interview in 2011 Zdenka Čuhnil, MP for the Czech and Slovak minorities, stated that Czech minority, based on its acquired rights, have the legal right to use its language in 9 local units (municipalities or towns) while in practice usage of that right is enabled only in one unit and partially in one more.{{cite journal | language = sr |title = Gradovi i općine zloupotrebljavaju stečeno pravo: intervju s Zdenkom Čuhnil | first = Stojan | last = Obradović | publisher = Serb Democratic Forum | journal = Identitet | number = 159 |date=5 November 2011 | location = Zagreb }} She also stated that in the case of Slovak minority out of 6 units (5 based on acquired rights and one on the basis of proportionality) is free to use its rights only in one.

In 2011 there was 11 elementary schools in which students from Slovak minority were able to learn Slovak.{{cite web|url=https://www.tportal.hr/vijesti/clanak/kako-zive-slovaci-u-hrvatskoj-20110508|title=Kako žive Slovaci u Hrvatskoj |publisher= T-portal |author= Vinco Gazdik |date=21 May 2011 |access-date=22 September 2017}} Those schools were located in Ilok, Osijek, Soljani, Josipovac Punitovački, Markovac Našički, Jelisavac, Miljevci, Zdenci, Lipovljani and Međurić. Gymnasium in Požega was the first high school in Croatia to introduce Slovak-language education into its elective curriculum.{{cite web|url=https://www.vecernji.hr/vijesti/prva-srednja-skola-u-hrvatskoj-u-kojoj-ce-se-uciti-slovacki-jezik-558857|title=Prva srednja škola u Hrvatskoj u kojoj će se učiti slovački jezik |publisher= Večernji list |author= Ljiljana Marić |date=24 May 2013 |access-date=22 September 2017}} Union of Slovaks in cooperation with the Slovak Cultural Center in Našice publish the magazine Prameň in Slovak.{{cite web|url=http://www.savez-slovaka.hr/hr/pramen|title=Prameň-KULTÚRNO-SPOLOČENSKÝ ČASOPIS SLOVÁKOV V CHORVÁTSKU|work=Union of Slovaks|access-date=21 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150621143349/http://www.savez-slovaka.hr/hr/pramen|archive-date=21 June 2015|url-status=dead}} On the 200th anniversary of birth of Štefan Moyses in 1997 Croatian branch of Matica slovenská set a bilingual memorial plate at the building of the Gornji Grad Gymnasium in Zagreb.{{cite web|url=http://www.savez-slovaka.hr/hr/zagreb|title=Matica slovačka Zagreb |publisher= Matica slovačka Zagreb |access-date=22 September 2017}} In 2003 second bilingual plate commemorating the work of Martin Kukučín was set up in Lipik. Matica slovenská in Zagreb published more than 10 books in Slovak over the years. In 1998 Central Library of Slovaks in Croatia was established as a section of Public library in Našice and as of 2016 its users had access to more than 4,000 volumes.{{cite web|url=http://hkdrustvo.hr/hkdnovosti/clanak/1210|title=Središnja knjižnica Slovaka radi na povezivanju dvije kulture i dva naroda |publisher= Novosti-Hrvatsko knjižničarsko društvo |author=Ružica Vinčak |date= April 2016 |access-date=22 September 2017}}

Central Library of Rusyns and Ukrainians in Croatia operates as a section of Public libraries in Zagreb. Library was established on 9 December 1995 and today part of its collection is accessible in public libraries in Vinkovci, Lipovljani, Slavonski Brod, Vukovar and Petrovci.{{cite web|url=http://www.kgz.hr/hr/knjiznice/gradska-knjiznica/odjeli-265/sredisnja-knjiznica-rusina-i-ukrajinaca-republike-hrvatske/792|title=Središnja knjižnica Rusina i Ukrajinaca Republike Hrvatske |publisher= Public libraries of City of Zagreb |access-date=22 September 2017}}

Central Library of Austrians and Germans in Croatia operates as a section of Public library in Osijek.

File:Spomen ploča Sinagoga Zagreb.jpg in Hebrew and Croatian at place of Zagreb Synagogue, unveiled in 1986]]

Organisation Zagreb Yiddish Circle is club that organizes courses in Yiddish, lectures on Jewish history, linguistics and culture, movie nights, and hosts a Yiddish book club.{{cite web|url=http://zagreb-yiddish.eu/en/about/|title=zagreber yidish-krayz (Zagreb Yiddish Circle)-About |work=Zagreb Yiddish Circle|access-date=27 June 2015}}

Ukrainian-language classes are held in four schools in Lipovljani, Petrovci, Kaniža and Šumeće, attended by about 50 students.{{cite web|url=http://croatia.mfa.gov.ua/hr/ukraine-croatia/ukrainians-in-croatia|title=Ukrajinci u Republici Hrvatskoj|work=Embassy of Ukraine in Zagreb|access-date=27 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150629184718/http://croatia.mfa.gov.ua/hr/ukraine-croatia/ukrainians-in-croatia|archive-date=29 June 2015|url-status=dead}} Central Library of Rusyns and Ukrainians in Croatia operates as a section of Public libraries in Zagreb. Library was established on 9 December 1995 and today part of its collection is accessible in public libraries in Vinkovci, Lipovljani, Slavonski Brod, Vukovar and Petrovci.

{{see also|Croatian Romani Union "Kali Sara"}}

Croatia previously made a reservation to Article 7.5 of ratification by European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML), which excluded non-territorial languages such as Romani from the application of the Charter. In the first evaluation report of 2 December 2000, expert groups and the Secretariat of the ECRML have recommended that Romani and Boyash Romanian be recognized as distinct minority languages used by the Roma.{{cite web |url=https://pravamanjina.gov.hr/nacionalne-manjine/europska-povelja-o-regionalnim-ili-manjinskim-jezicima/935 |title=6th Report by the Republic of Croatia on the Application of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages |date=June 2019 |location=Zagreb |publisher=Government of Croatia}} Croatian authorities are in the process of withdrawing the reservation.{{cite journal |url=https://cs.coe.int/team20/cahrom/9th%20CAHROM%20Plenary%20meeting/Item%2004a%20-%20MINLANG(2015)19%20EN%20Romani%20and%20the%20Language%20Charter.docx |format=docx|title=Romani and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML) |date=13 April 2015 |access-date=30 November 2021 |publisher=ECRML Secretariat}} Veljko Kajtazi, Romani community MP in Croatia, stated that he will advocate to have the Roma language included on the list of minority languages in Croatia during his term in office.

Croatian Parliament formally recognised Romani Language Day on May 25, 2012,{{cite web|url=https://www.sabor.hr/en/press/news/world-roma-language-day-marked-croatian-parliament|title=World Roma Language Day marked in Croatian Parliament|publisher=Croatian Parliament|date=5 November 2014|access-date=19 June 2015}} which was on their initiative also proclaimed by UNESCO in 2015.{{cite web|url=http://kalisara.hr/projekti/svjetski-dan-romskog-jezika/|title=Svjetski dan romskog jezika|publisher=Croatian Romani Union "Kali Sara"|access-date=2021-11-30|language=hr}} At the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zagreb, two courses in the Romani language on the Romani language, literature, culture and history have been taught since November 5, 2012. Central Library of Roma in Croatia was established on 8 June 2020 in Zagreb, and is presently the only such library in Europe.{{cite web |url=https://www.vecernji.hr/kultura/otvorena-prva-sredisnja-knjiznica-roma-u-hrvatskoj-1409149 |title=Otvorena prva Središnja knjižnica Roma u Hrvatskoj |date=2020-06-11 |access-date=2021-11-30 |publisher=Večernji list |language=hr}}

Istro-Romanian is one of the smallest minority languages spoken in Croatia with fewer than 500 speakers concentrated mainly in the north-eastern part of the Istrian Peninsula. While the language is not officially recognized in the Constitution of Croatia under that name (the Constitution references Romanians and "Vlachs"), it is specifically recognized as such in the Statute of the Istrian Region{{cite web|url=http://www.istra-istria.hr/index.php?id=587/|title=Statute of the Istrian Region|publisher=Istrian Region|date=19 May 2003| access-date=4 January 2018}} and in the Statute of the Municipality of Kršan.{{cite web|url=http://www.krsan.hr/web/uprava.asp?subid=6|title=Status Općina Kršan|publisher=Municipality of Kršan|date=29 July 2009| access-date=4 January 2018}} In 2016, with funding from the Romanian government, the school in the village of Šušnjevica was fully renovated and is expected to start offering education in Istro-Romanian.{{cite web|url=http://gazetadecluj.ro/la-susnevita-croatia-s-inaugurat-prima-scoala-refacuta-de-statul-roman-pentru-istroromanii-din-locaitate/|title=La Șușnevița, în Croația, s-a inaugurat prima școală refăcută de Statul Român pentru istroromânii din localitate|date=17 November 2017| access-date=4 January 2018}}

There are three other central libraries in Croatia. Bosniak's community central library is located in the town of Sisak, Albanian one in Zagreb and Slovenian in Karlovac.

List of towns and municipalities with minority languages in official use:{{cite web |author=Government of Croatia |date=October 2013 |title=Peto izvješće Republike Hrvatske o primjeni Europske povelje o regionalnim ili manjinskim jezicima |url=https://www.coe.int/t/dg4/education/minlang/Report/PeriodicalReports/CroatiaPR5_hr.pdf |access-date=2 December 2016 |publisher=Council of Europe |pages=34–36 |language=hr}}

{{Further|Croatia–France relations|Illyrian Provinces}}

During Napoleon I's invasion of Croatia in the early 19th century, a large portion was of the country was converted into the Illyrian Provinces (Provinces illyriennes) and incorporated as a French province in 1809.{{Cite news|url=http://croatia.eu/article.php?id=55&lang=2|title=Croatian-French relations|access-date=2017-05-30}} French rule established the official language of the autonomous province to be French followed by Croatian, Italian, German, and Slovene.{{Cite news|url=http://croatia.eu/article.php?id=55&lang=2|title=Croatian-French relations|access-date=2018-03-02}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Illyrian-Provinces|title=Illyrian Provinces {{!}} historical region, Europe|work=Encyclopedia Britannica|access-date=2018-03-02|language=en}} According to France's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, about 6% of Croatians are fluent in basic conversation in French.{{Cite web|url=https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files/croatia/france-and-croatia/|title=France and Croatia|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303162855/https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files/croatia/france-and-croatia/|language=en-EN|access-date=2020-08-03|archive-date=3 March 2018}}

European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages became a legally binding for Croatia in 1997.{{cite web|url=http://gong.hr/en/active-citizens/civil-society/europe-and-croatia-are-living-and-protecting-multi/|title=Europe and Croatia are living and protecting multilingualism|publisher=GONG (organization)|date=10 December 2013| access-date=19 June 2015}}

• Minority language
• Languages of Croatia
• Official language
• Demographics of Croatia
• Linguistic rights
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Category:Languages of Croatia

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