Skopje, 2 November 2023 (MIA) - The draft law on the Macedonian language is still in parliamentary procedure. The law has not been changed since 1998. I constantly urge MPs and I cannot believe that such a law faces obstacles, Minister of Culture Bisera Kostanovska Stojchevska said at a press briefing on Thursday. 

She noted that she has also called on the chair of the Committee on Culture to schedule a session, but there has been no response yet.

"I cannot believe that such a law would encounter any obstacles. I would have understood if it had been any other law, to get more political points, but not this draft law, especially at a time when language as a living substance is not being used correctly, and that we need proofreaders and a different mechanism, including establishing an inspectorate. Any other measure we propose as a Government will be in vain if this law does not pass. Until it does, we remain in status quo," Kostadinovska-Stojchevska said.

She voiced hope that the law will be put on agenda as soon as possible, to be followed by amendment hearing and then passed.

Regarding the strategy on culture, the Minister said it has been proofread and will be submitted to the Government, and then the Parliament.

"The Strategy on the Protection of Cultural Heritage is nearly completed. The two documents will then give the Law on Culture and Law on Protection of Cultural Heritage. A working group is working in relation to the Law on Protection of Cultural Heritage, we are not in a hurry, and we do not go for a law that would be passed overnight. We will work on that law because it must be aligned with the law on Ohrid, although this year we had a positive response from UNESCO, it remains on the list," Kostadinovska-Stojchevska said.

She noted that out of 19 remarks from UNESCO, only two were for North Macedonia, and 17 for Albania.

"This year, for the first time we submitted together with Albania, to show that we can jointly manage the natural cultural heritage that we share," Kostadinovska-Stojchevska added. ssh/nn/

Photo: MIA archive