BRATISLAVA, February 2, (WEBNOVINY) — On Wednesday, Parliament overrode the president’s veto and repeatedly approved the vetoed amendment to the State Language Act from the workroom of the Culture Ministry, headed by Daniel Krajcer (SaS). 78 votes of coalition deputies supported reduction of sanctions levied for violations of the law and moderation of some provisions of the law adopted during the term of the previous government.
65 deputies voted against the law and one refrained from voting. The lawmakers did not support the proposal of President Ivan Gasparovic to make levying a sanction for violations of the law obligatory.
The revision of the state language act aims at reduction of sanctions introduced by the former government of Robert Fico. Based on the new wording of the bill, the Culture Ministry will not have the duty to issue fines, while the amount of fines has been reduced. The lowest sanction according to the new rules is EUR 50 and maximum EUR 2,500.
Fines can be levied only in cases which concern publishing information regarding the public administration, or pose a danger to health, life, security or property of citizens of the Slovak Republic.
The revision cancels the provision, according to which texts on monuments and memorial plaques would need the nod of the ministry, which was supposed to guard the accordance with the law in this way. The duty to keep bilingual documentation in schools and educational institutions lecturing in languages of national minorities will be canceled as well. The norm eliminates fines for texts compiled in the language of national minorities printed for cultural purposes, catalogues of galleries, museums, libraries, programs of theaters, concerts and other cultural events.
The new wording of the law will take effect on March 1, 2011.
SITA