Mladenovic: Complain or stop the conference when there is no translation

Addressing non-compliance with the Law on the Use of Languages in Kosovo has never been a priority. Politicians must understand that this is a legal obligation that must be implemented, Slavisa Mladenovic, Commissioner for Language, for the Association of Journalists of Serbia (IJAS) says. Mladenovic points out that, although there is progress, we are doomed to a slow solution to this problem.

Individuals, organizations, and the media complain about the implementation of the Law on the Use of Language. In the last month, the Office of the Commissioner received three complaints from the media. The law was violated by the Agency for Gender Equality of Kosovo, Ministry of Communities and Returns. The media also complained about the work of the Government of Kosovo.

"The first instance for pointing out this problem is the institution that broke the law. You should point out the problem to the manager by e-mail or try to interrupt the conference and say 'For God's sake, people, we can't work here, there is no translation'. You can then complain to the Office of the Commissioner and the Ombudsman. In the end, there is also the court," Slavisa Mladenovic, Commissioner for Languages, for IJAS says.

If the problems and arguments of Serbian newsrooms are not visible to the Albanian public and if pressure is not put on politicians who break the law, the issue will not be resolved.

"It is very important that you develop awareness of the problem among fellow Albanians. If they are 'blind' to your problems and don't want to help you, the situation is much more complicated. I believe that this is not the case," Mladenovic states.

The latest in a series of cases where a translation into Serbian was missing was a conference organized by the Agency for Gender Equality. The Commissioner for Languages says that after the complaint, which the journalist of the Media Center in Caglavica, Sanja Djokic, submitted to the Office, a recommendation was sent to this Agency.

"The error occurred in the invitation because it was not highlighted that it was necessary to confirm participation. The Law on the Use of Languages clearly states that the institution must provide translation at public events, as well as when there is a request for it. There isn't that kind of active offer here, in the sense of 'we'll translate just in case someone shows up'. Unfortunately, it often happens that the participation is confirmed, but there is no translation," he says.

When asked whether journalists of Serbian newsrooms would be able to exercise their right to translation with such a practice, Mladenovic points out that it would be easier to identify the culprits, if translation is not provided even in that case.

"This is the first time that someone has complained about this Agency. If it happens again, you understand that it is an intention to discriminate against someone. Here is an example. We sent a recommendation to the Ministry of Health of Kosovo four times in which we requested that those responsible for the offense be punished, and that did not happen," Mladenovic points out.

According to him, the Commissioner's Office only issued recommendations to institutions and organizations for non-compliance with this Law.

"I came to the Office after the legal basis had already been prepared. It was clearly written in the decree that it was within our competence to punish, but we have never been able to carry out that competence," he explains.

Mladenovic says that the Ministry of Public Administration, whose jurisdiction was the implementation of fines, based on the recommendation sent by the Office of the Commissioner, did not do so.

"Not only did they not implement it, but they were shut down as a Ministry and integrated into the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Whenever the translation is missing, we send a recommendation to the chief administrative officer in the organization in question to discipline the persons responsible for the implementation of those recommendations," Mladenovic says.

He notes that complaints addressed to the same institution or organization are repeated.

"The institutions that were the best example of respect for the Law on the Use of Language are not that today. Most often it happens after a change of leadership, because the professionalism of an institution is in fact its mirror. In principle, the administration does not need an order from a minister or secretary to work according to the law," Mladenovic points out.

The Association of Journalists of Serbia and its branch, the Association of Journalists of Kosovo and Metohija (DNKiM) protested at the beginning of the month that the press conference of the Minister of Communities and Returns in the Government of Kosovo, Nenad Rasic, had not been translated into Serbian language, but also into Albanian. On that occasion, Rasic spoke about the procedures that needed to be fulfilled in order to ensure the translation.

"Procedures are complicated and their interpretation always harms the Law on the Use of Language. A Ministry submits a request to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which should conduct the competition. Not to mention the fact that ministries leave vacant positions so as not to send a request to the Ministry of the Interior because they want to keep the hiring discretion for themselves. They (ministries) should send the request to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the competition is carried out in the Ministry," Mladenovic says.

Mladenovic says that when it comes specifically to the Ministry for Communities and Returns, that did not happen, more precisely, once a competition was opened in this Ministry, but there were no candidates then and the competition was canceled. After the reaction of IJAS, the Ministry of Communities and Returns managed to hire an interpreter.

At the end of the conversation, the Commissioner for Languages says that the Office is doing what it can and must, but that it is not enough.

"The solution is to create a demand for adequate staff that needs to be educated. The solution to this problem will not happen overnight," Slavisa Mladenovic, Commissioner for Languages in Kosovo concluded.

The Association of Journalists of Serbia (IJAS) and its branch, the Association of Journalists of Kosovo and Metohija (DNKiM) have been protesting for years and pointing out the established practice of violating the Law on the Use of Language, which journalists face every day. They do not give up on their demand that the Law be respected and fulfill the rights to equal use of the Serbian language in Kosovo.