Pristina, June 11th, 2024 – The Ombudsperson Institution, in cooperation with the OSCE, organized a roundtable in Graçanica on “Respecting Language Rights in Kosovo.”

The purpose of this roundtable was to discuss the respect of language rights with participants and to present the work and activities of the Ombudsperson in promoting the respect of language rights in our country, as defined by the Law on the Use of Languages. Additionally, the event was aimed at informing the public about the role and mandate of the Ombudsperson Institution in promoting and protecting human rights.

Present at the roundtable were non-governmental organizations, public institutions, the media, as well as citizens from the Serb non-majority community.

The Ombudsperson, Naim Qelaj, emphasized that the implementation of the Law on the Use of Languages is of particular importance for all citizens, enabling them to exercise their rights to receive public services in their language of communication. Participants also highlighted the necessity of raising institutional awareness for the respect of language rights.

Similar roundtables will also be organized in other regions of the country and will serve as important platforms for discussing and addressing challenges related to the implementation and respect of language rights. Furthermore, the citizens shall be informed about the mandate and work of the Ombudsperson in the protection and promotion of human rights.