Erasure of Cyrillic as an identity pressure on Serbs: What can international organizations do?

Cases of degrading the Cyrillic script in Kosovo are no longer exceptions but have become the norm. Serbian language experts warn that dismantling a nation’s identity often begins with language and script. Kosovo authorities have been systematically replacing road signs and institutional nameplates written in Cyrillic with Latin script, prompting the Serbian Language Council to recommend that the Government of Serbia intervene with UNMIK and other international bodies. While international organizations continue to turn a blind eye to the endangered status of the Serbian language and script, hope must not be abandoned, say interlocutors for Kosovo Online.

Written by: Dusica Radeka Djordjevic

The Serbian Language Council, established by the Government of Serbia in 2023 to analyze the state of the Serbian language in public life and to implement measures for the protection of the Cyrillic script as the national script, has advised the Government to seek intervention from UNMIK and other international organizations concerning the replacement of public inscriptions in Serbian Cyrillic with Latin script in Kosovo.

As suggested by experts interviewed by Kosovo Online, Serbia may also appeal to the Council of Europe and UNESCO.

Article 10 of the Constitution of Serbia stipulates that the official use of the Serbian language and the Cyrillic script is guaranteed in the Republic of Serbia.

However, it has been evident since the unilateral declaration of independence in 2008 that the Constitution of Serbia holds no legal weight for the authorities in Pristina. Yet, even within Kosovo’s own Law on the Use of Languages, it is stated that “the Albanian and Serbian languages and their scripts are official languages in Kosovo” and that they enjoy equal status in its institutions.

"Everything from the administrative border to, say, the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica has been altered from Cyrillic signage to Latin, which is unacceptable. We witnessed this ourselves during recent visits to Kosovo and Metohija—many members of the Serbian Language Council saw it firsthand. This is in direct contradiction even to the laws of the so-called state of Kosovo. Their legal framework mandates the use of the Serbian language and Cyrillic as part of a standardization package," says Professor Aleksandar Milanovic from the Faculty of Philology in Belgrade and President of the Council, speaking to Kosovo Online.

He adds that it is not only the official script of the Republic of Serbia and the mother script of the Serbian population in Kosovo that are under threat, but also the Serbian language itself.

"If in no other way, then through the alteration of Serbian place names, anthroponyms, and toponyms—everything that represents traces of Serbian culture is being translated into Albanian in forms that are not authentic," Milanovic explains.

The Council, he continues, expects the Government of Serbia to act on its recommendation and intervene urgently to protect the Serbian language and Cyrillic script in Kosovo and Metohija.

"We believe that an official act from our state—sending a concrete, formal communication to UNMIK and other international bodies—could trigger alarm at the Council of Europe, especially considering that the 'Republic of Kosovo' has applied for full benefits and membership in the Council. Since the Council of Europe expects full respect for minority rights, including linguistic rights, our hope is that pressure not only from UNMIK—whose actions usually remain symbolic—but also from the Council of Europe and other European institutions might lead to the enforcement of the laws enacted by the so-called state of Kosovo," he says.

Conversations with Serbs living both north and south of the Ibar River have revealed, he adds, that they all reacted very strongly to the removal of Cyrillic, regardless of their level of education, political orientation, or any other factor.

"They perceive this as a form of identity pressure—an attempt to estrange them. That’s why we believe that the violation of the rights of the Serbian national minority in our province must be addressed in an appropriate way," Milanovic concludes.

Commenting on the Council’s recommendation, journalist and writer Zivojin Rakocevic from Gracanica told Kosovo Online that every action taken is invaluable, especially for children who are afraid to say “Good day” in Serbian on the street.

"All relevant institutions, every state, international NGO, and media outlet must recognize the fear Kosovo Serbs have when using their mother tongue. They must see the enormous discrimination taking place and understand that, despite what is stated in official documents, Serbian and Albanian are not equal languages in practice," Rakocevic emphasizes.

He points out that very little is said about the endangerment of the Serbian language in Kosovo.

"If there is any perfect example of vulnerability in Kosovo and Metohija, it is that of our language. None of us living here go even a week without asking ourselves, 'Am I allowed to speak my own language?' Our language is so frightened, endangered, and disappearing within us—it’s terrifying. Language is a means of identity, and we find ourselves in the unfortunate position of betraying it—gauging how a policeman, clerk, shop assistant, or passerby will react if we speak our mother tongue. We are condemned to fear of our own language," Rakocevic explains.

He recalls that in its early mission, UNMIK decided to protect at least the names of places by mandating their use in both Albanian and Serbian, and that some officials made efforts—but that all of this eventually collapsed and is now just an empty shell.

"Today, UNMIK is a shell of a shell. It has almost no power, and other international organizations turn a blind eye. For the first time in the history of this region, a word in the Serbian language has become a trigger for erasure," says Rakocevic bitterly.

Over the years, he adds, thousands of places have been renamed in Kosovo—for example, replacing Đeneral Jankovic with Elez Han on maps was declared a "great national victory."

"If you say 'Metohija,' you’re expelled from public life. You can’t do anything anymore. And who knows what else the administration will come up with to penalize you—because once they condemn your language, they condemn your deepest inner self, your most private thoughts, your right to speak your native language. The vast majority of us don’t know French, for example, but no one in Paris is afraid of not knowing the language. Here, we fear because we are told, ‘You must speak Albanian.’ A police officer at a checkpoint says, ‘This is Kosova, you must speak Albanian,’ even though you pay taxes and that same officer is paid to say ‘Good day’ in Serbian. This is a deeply rooted issue, touching on both intimate psychological and linguistic layers, as well as the everyday social reality—whether to enter a store and stay silent or to speak your language," says Rakocevic.

Bosko Milovanovic, a professor at the Faculty of Teacher Education in Prizren (based in Leposavic), says that the Serbian Language Council has recognized the current moment as one of serious endangerment of the Cyrillic script in Kosovo and Metohija.

"The Council has urged the government to act to preserve identity. When someone undermines place names, hydronyms, names of rivers and institutions, they are directly attacking the cultural identity of a people. The dismantling of national identity starts with language and then script," Milovanovic told Kosovo Online.

Regarding the preservation of Cyrillic in Kosovo, he believes appeals should be made to UNESCO and the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. According to him, once a national government addresses UNESCO, the request is forwarded to the Council of Europe for consideration.

"These are the right institutions to turn to, because they recognized the rights of Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija before 1999. I’m convinced that if Serbs were now to demand the same rights Albanians had before 1999, those demands would never be accepted, as it would mean full recognition of our national identity. Nonetheless, these institutions are the proper addresses, as there are mechanisms that oversee their decisions—even if those decisions may ultimately be unfavorable to us. But as Njegos said, ‘Time is the master’s sieve’—and time will show that we were right, because we believe in truth, which is always on the side of the oppressed," Milovanovic states.

He notes that toponyms are the most visible markers, and that the authorities in Kosovo have changed many—Vucitrn became Vustrri, and the birthplace of Prince Lazar in Kosovo Pomoravlje, Prilepac, is now called Prepelnice.

"Less visible are the official decisions issued by Kosovo’s institutions and courts, which are addressed to us in Latin script. We are obliged to defend our national identity through our script. As long as our script exists here, it affirms the identity and continuity of a people in this space—and I’m convinced that their plans have no long-term perspective," Milovanovic concludes.

In addition to Professor Aleksandar Milanovic, members of the Serbian Language Council include Sreto Tanasic (Academy of Sciences and Arts of the Republic of Srpska), Professor Milos Kovacevic, Senior Research Fellows Vladan Jovanovic and Marina Spasojevic, Associate Professor Aleksandar Milanovic, and writers Vladimir Pistalo, Selimir Radulovic, Zoran Avramovic, and Miodrag Kajtez.