The President of Prava Montenegro, Marko Milačić, announced that the procedure of standardizing the Serbian language as the official language should be started immediately.
"After the publication of the official results of the Census of Population, Households and Apartments in Montenegro, it was confirmed that the Serbian language is the most represented in our country, spoken by 43,18% of citizens (269.307). These results confirm what has been present in everyday life for a long time citizens, which is that the majority of the population uses the Serbian language as their primary language," said Milačić.
He pointed out that the census serves as a key instrument for the creation of long-term national policies in various areas - from education and culture, to the official use of language and other important social aspects.
"Through the census, which is carried out every ten years, we gain an insight into the key changes and trends within our country, which should also be reflected in public policies. The latest data indicate a continuous increase in the number of citizens who declare that they speak the Serbian language, which the long-standing importance of the Serbian language in our country is confirmed," the announcement reads.
Milačić said that, although Montenegrin, as an official language, which according to this census is spoken by almost ten percent of citizens than Serbian (34,52 percent), "enjoys the appropriate status, the fact that the Serbian language has not been official until now, despite the fact that it say the majority of citizens, it represents an injustice that needs to be corrected now".
"This list clearly shows that the position of the Serbian language should not be neglected, but that it must be formalized as an official language alongside Montenegrin, in order to reflect the real linguistic picture of our country," he added.
"There are numerous examples of countries that recognize the importance of standardizing multiple languages as official, in accordance with the representation of languages in society. One of the most relevant examples is Switzerland, which has four official languages (German, French, Italian and Romansh), which is adapted to its complex linguistic structure. Similarly, Belgium has three official languages (Dutch, French, and German), while Finland recognizes Swedish as the second official language in addition to Finnish," says Milacic.
"True Montenegro appeals to the competent institutions and socio-political actors to, in accordance with the results of this census, jointly and immediately initiate the procedure of standardizing the Serbian language as the official language. With this step, we will provide a fair and representative framework for all citizens of Montenegro, thereby strengthening the foundations of common coexistence in our country, while respecting the linguistic and cultural identities of all its citizens," he concluded.
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