Talysh Council Regrets Lack of Reaction of Authorities to Proposals for Development of Talysh Language

Baku / 24.04.20 / Turan: The Public Council of Talysh of Azerbaijan (PCTA) regrets the indifferent attitude of the Azerbaijani authorities to the appeals of this structure about the state of the Talysh language.

The PCTA statement recalls that on February 25 the corresponding appeal was sent to the president and first vice-president of the country, the prime minister, the head of the presidential administration, the minister of education and the ombudsman with a package of proposals for the protection and development of the Talysh language. However, in two months no even formal reaction to appeals followed. PCTA regards this as a neglect of the initiative of citizens of the country.

"The irresponsibility of the highest authorities is bitterly regrettable," the statement said. PCTA believes that such neglect undermines the confidence of citizens in the state. The authors of the appeal declare that they demand an answer to their proposals.

Recall that the above-mentioned appeal noted the need to implement the tasks arising from the Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, as well as the ratification of the European Charter on Regional or Minority Languages.

Specifically, it was proposed to introduce compulsory teaching of the Talysh language in schools in places of compact residence of Talysh from grades 1 to 9, to update textbooks and teaching aids, to open faculties and departments of the Talysh language and literature in a number of universities and colleges of the country, to create a branch of the Talysh language in the National Academy of Sciences, etc.

PCTA was created by a group of representatives of the Talysh intelligentsia of Azerbaijan at the end of 2019. –06D-