June 2006

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THE COURTS OF ARAGON APPROVE THE REFORM OF THE STATUTE THAT AVOIDS THE PROTECTION OF ARGONESE AND CATALAN LANGUAGES

June 2006 – With the abstention of the political party Chunta Aragonesista (CHA), the Courts of Aragon have approved, on the 21rst of June, a reform of the Statute of Aragon without contemplating Aragonese and Catalan the own languages of Aragon. The text, which is now in the hands of the Spanish Parliament where it will be discussed and lately approved before May 2007, avoids to make an explicit reference to both languages, even if article 8 of the introduction is entirely dedicated to “the own languages and linguistic modalities of Aragon”

The third reform of the Statute of Autonomy of the Autonomous Community of Aragon establishes that a future law of the Aragonese Courts –a law which has been postponed for two decades– will determine the boundaries of the zones where both languages are spoken, and regulate their protection, recovery and teaching provisions. This future law will also establish the rights of its speakers to use both languages in their relations with the public administration. However, what does mention the renewed Statute is that “no one could be discriminated on the grounds of language”.