Special fund for Slovenian language in Carinthia: New glimmer of hope!

Special fund for Slovenian language in Carinthia: New glimmer of hope!

Ljubljana, Slowenien - On March 26, 2025, Bernard Sadovnik, the chairman of the community of Carinthian Slovenes (SKS), presented a significant proposal for promoting the Slovenian language in Carinthia. At a meeting with Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon in Ljubljana, he stimulated the establishment of a special fund to ensure support for the Slovenian language in endangered areas. On this occasion, Sadovnik emphasized the responsibility of the Austrian government for the decline in the Slovenian population in the region.

The idea for the special fund could be an important initiative to revitalize the Slovenian language in the Austrian state. According to krone.at , Sadovnik asked the Austrian government to provide corresponding funds. This would not only serve language support, but also to maintain the cultural identity of the Slovenian community in Carinthia.

collaboration between the governments

Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon welcomed Sadovnik's proposal and proposed a joint initiative between the ethnic group of the Carinthian Slovenes and the Slovenian government. This shows the endeavors of both sides to strengthen the linguistic rights of the minorities. The reason for the meeting was the 70th anniversary of the state contract, which protects the rights of the Slovenian and Croatian minority in Austria In this context,

Sadovnik expressed that he hoped Austria would meet his obligations, especially with regard to bilingualism in the judiciary and educational system. Fajon shared this view and saw opportunities to make progress in the questions of bilingualism. This could not only contribute to strengthening the Slovenian language, but also promoting the coexistence of the different cultural groups in Carinthia.

opportunities and challenges

The discussion about the special fund is against the background that the Slovenian community in Carinthia is increasingly under pressure. According to Europarl.eu 585915 (sum01) _DE.PDF), the preservation of minority rights in the region is decisive. The creation of an active support system could help to preserve the cultural diversity and linguistic equality in Carinthia.

The proposal of Sadovnik could not only be a step towards better promotion of the Slovenian language, but also be a signal of hope for the community concerned. It remains to be seen how the Austrian federal government will react to this initiative and whether measures are taken to specifically address the concerns mentioned.