Complaint to Ombudsmen about ban on teaching Bosnian and Croatian in RS

Coalition of civil society organizations 'Prvi mart' submitted a complaint to Ombudsmen for Human Rights of BiH, with its HQ in Banja Luka, for denying Bosnian and Croatian languages in schools in Republika Srpska.

Bosniak and Croat students who live in RS are denied their right to study Bosnian and Croatian languages. The only language that students can learn in the schools in RS is Serb language. Legal experts have reckoned this a violation of Constitution of BiH, as well as some international laws.

This problem has existed in RS for several years and it has been invoked by the government of RS so as to attract voters.

The complaint of 'Prvi mart' inter alia says that students in RS who are taught Serb language are in a privileged position compare to students who are taught Croatian and Bosnian languages.

Institution with responsibility for this kind of problem is Republic Pedagogical Institute RS and its director Predrag Damjanovic, says the letter of Coalition 'Prvi mart'.