Use of minority languages in administrative proceedings in Serbia

Matijević, Milica V. and Zdravković, Ana (2024) Use of minority languages in administrative proceedings in Serbia. In: Law on General Administrative Procedure: Contemporary Tendencies and Challenges : Thematic Collection. Eurosfera & Partners; Institute of Comparative Law ; Faculty of Management and Law, Belgrade; Ljubljana, pp. 349-362. ISBN 978-86-82582-23-6

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Abstract

The paper explores the implementation and challenges of minority language use in administrative proceedings in Serbia. Rooted in robust legal guarantees, the Serbian legal framework provides for the official use of minority languages, yet its practical application reveals persistent obstacles. Through an examination of the reports and case law of the state bodies, the paper singles out and analyzes the most evident challenges to the effective use of minority languages in administrative proceedings: the absence of basic prerequisites for conducting administrative proceedings in a timely and efficient manner in minority languages and an insufficient number of civil servants with adequate command of these languages. The paper proposes further institutional and policy interventions that might enhance the realization of this linguistic right of minorities in Serbia.

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