MINELRES: Eurolang articles: 28 January - 2 February 2005

[MINELRES moderator]

Original sender: Simone Klinge <SimoneKlinge@gmx.net>


Dear Madam/ Sir,

we include a brief summary of the latest articles published on Eurolang.


IBARRETXE'S PLAN DEFEATED IN THE SPANISH PARLIAMENT  
Barcelona 2/2/2005 by Alexia Bos Sol�

The President of the Basque government, the lehendakari Juan Jos�
Ibarretxe, defended his Plan on Tuesday for the Proposal for the Reform
of the Political Statute of the Basque Autonomous Community, in the
Spanish Lower House, the "Congreso" following a decision by the Basque
Parliament finally to send Ibarretxe himself to defend the Plan. While
the Plan was defeated in the Spanish Congress, the Basques will now vote
in their own election in April. It will be seen as a vote both to
further endorse the Plan and for the right to self-determination.


STERILISATION OF ROMA WOMEN: SLOVAKIA REPORTS TO THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE 
Prague / Praha 2/2/2005 by Candida Hornakova

Slovakia has recently submitted the second report on its compliance with
the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
(FCNM). The report, which was presented 11 months after it was due,
contributes to an image of positive developments marked by the country's
ratification of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages
and its initial report on the implementation of the Charter from
5.12.2003. However, human rights groups have reported on the uninformed
sterilization of Roma women and racist tendencies in Slovakia. 


ESTONIA PREPARES FOR LANGUAGE CHANGEOVER IN RUSSIAN-MEDIUM SCHOOLS 
Tallinn 1/31/2005 by Alexander Shegedin

Estonia is following Latvia's example over education in Estonia's
Russian-medium schools. As a result, 60% of subjects in these schools
will be taught in Estonian and only 40% in "other languages", that is
Russian. The reform will take effect in 2007, but according to a new
opinion poll, some teachers, parents and schoolchildren oppose the
reform.



SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT COMMITTEE BACKS GAELIC BILL BUT WARN THAT "REAL
COMMITMENT" WILL BE REQUIRED FROM THE SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
Brussels 1/28/2005 by Davyth Hicks

The Scottish Parliament Education Committee published its Stage 1 report
on the general principles of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill on
Tuesday. The Bill seeks to establish B�rd na G�idhlig in statute with a
responsibility to oversee the development of Gaelic and to secure its
status as an official language of Scotland.


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