Federal Union of European Nationalities

RESOLUTIONS ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES IN HELSINKI ∙ HELSINGFORS

FUEN ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES 2026

RESOLUTIONS 2026

FUEN Main Resolution 2026 Towards a rights-based, equitable, compliant and inclusive approach to AI and minority languages

Resolution 2026-01 Protecting the Rights of the Turkish Minority in Rhodes and Kos

Resolution 2026-02 Macedonian national minority in the Republic of Albania

Resolution 2026-03 Recognition of the Yenish as the fifth national minority in Germany

Resolution 2026-04 Ongoing Interference in the Religious Autonomy of the Turkish Minority in Western Thrace and Violations of Religious Freedoms

Resolution 2026-05 Protection of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and National Minorities in Ukraine

Resolution 2026-06 Resolution on the Right to Use Catalan in Healthcare

Resolution 2026-07 Necessity of Elections at the Istanbul Greek-Orthodox Foundation “BALIKLI HOSPITAL”

Resolution 2026-08 Safeguarding Sorbian as a living language within the school systems

Resolution 2026-09 Revitalizing the Armãn/Vlach Language and Culture: A Call for European Action

Resolution 2026-10 Making regional and minority languages an integral part of vocational education

Resolution 2026-11 Public subsidies for Breton organizations in the Department of Loire-Altantique discontinued

Resolution 2026-12 Urgent call for the implementation of ethnic minority language education in Vienna

Urgent Resolution 2026-13 On the Full Restoration of Acquired Rights of the Hungarian Minority in Subcarpathia and the Need for the Practical Implementation of Ukrainian–Hungarian Minority Dialogue at the Istanbul Greek-Orthodox Foundation “BALIKLI HOSPITAL”

FUEN ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES 2026

FUEN MAIN RESOLUTION 2026

The Delegates of the Member Organisations of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) adopted the following resolution at their Assembly of Delegates on 19 September 2026 in Helsinki/Helsingfors, Finland:

Towards a rights-based, equitable, compliant and inclusive approach to AI and minority languages

Recognising that artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming an integral part of everyday life, public administration, education, the media and digital communication, thereby presenting both significant opportunities and considerable challenges for the protection and promotion of regional or minority languages and the rights of national minorities;

acknowledging that many regional or minority languages remain underrepresented in the digital environment and that the lack of high-quality language data, targeted investment and inclusive AI strategies limits the availability and quality of AI tools in these languages, thereby threatening Europe’s linguistic and cultural diversity;

acknowledging that AI can at the same time be an important tool for the preservation and promotion of regional or minority languages and should contribute to safeguarding Europe’s linguistic and cultural diversity;

recognising that meaningful digital presence has become an essential condition for the long-term vitality, intergenerational transmission and equal use of regional or minority languages, and that their adequate representation in AI and digital technologies is therefore indispensable for preserving Europe’s linguistic and cultural diversity,

The Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) calls on:

1. the European Union (EU) to ensure that the needs and rights of persons belonging to national minorities and speakers of regional or minority languages are taken into account in the implementation of the EU AI Act and related digital policies, and that linguistic and cultural diversity is promoted as a guiding principle in the development and deployment of trustworthy AI.

2. the European Commission to create, including within the framework of existing research, innovation and digitalisation programmes, targeted funding opportunities for AI tools, language technologies and open language datasets for regional or minority languages, giving priority to the most vulnerable and digitally under-resourced languages, building on existing good practices and supporting pilot projects developed with minority communities, research institutions and technology providers whose successful approaches can serve as implementation models for other languages.

3. the Council of Europe to examine the impact of AI on the rights of persons belonging to national minorities, as well as the potential of AI to support Member States in implementing the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM) and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML), and to develop guidelines for Member States on promoting linguistic diversity in the age of AI.

FUEN ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES 2026

4. the United Nations, in particular its relevant human rights and cultural bodies, to recognise digital linguistic inclusion and the digital participation of national minorities as an essential component of the protection of cultural and linguistic diversity, and to promote the responsible development of AI technologies that respect the rights of persons belonging to national minorities and of minority language communities.

5. national governments, strongly, to adopt national strategies for digital preservation and technological development aimed at promoting the digital participation of national minorities and regional or minority languages, including the creation of high-quality language corpora, dictionaries, language databases and other linguistic resources required for the development of AI systems.

6. national governments to ensure that public-sector digital services and AI-based applications gradually become accessible in regional or minority languages wherever these languages are traditionally spoken, and that persons belonging to national minorities receive equal access to these digital services.

7. national governments to ensure the deployment of AI systems and digital public services complements, and not to replace or diminish, existing linguistic rights guaranteed under national legislation and applicable international legal instruments, and not to use the availability of AI-based language technologies as a justification for reducing access to public services, education, justice or administrative procedures in regional or minority languages.

National governments should ensure that AI-supported public administration, healthcare, education and other essential public digital services are progressively developed and made accessible in regional or minority languages wherever these languages enjoy legal protection, in order to ensure equal access to public services in the digital age.

8. European Union institutions and public authorities at national, regional and local level to ensure meaningful human oversight and review when AI-based public services or applications are used to support decisions affecting persons belonging to national minorities or speakers of regional or minority languages, particularly where limitations in processing the language concerned may influence the outcome.

9. national governments to support universities, research centres and minority organisations in collecting, digitising and preserving cultural and linguistic data relevant to national minorities, while ensuring full respect for data protection, ethical standards and the rights of minority communities.

10. national governments, educational authorities and relevant stakeholders to promote the development and responsible use of AI-supported educational tools and digital learning resources in regional or minority languages, in order to support high-quality multilingual education, improve equal access to learning opportunities and contribute to the transmission of these languages to future generations.

11. developers and providers of AI systems to incorporate linguistic diversity and the needs of national minorities into the design, training, testing and deployment of AI models, to identify and address language- specific limitations, recognising that AI models developed primarily for widely used languages cannot be assumed to perform equally well in regional or minority languages, to improve transparency and system performance across different language communities, and to work closely with representatives of national

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minority communities and with linguistic and academic institutions, ensuring their meaningful participation throughout the design, development, testing and evaluation of AI systems affecting their languages.

12. all relevant stakeholders to recognise that fair access to appropriate digital language technologies can increasingly facilitate democratic participation, access to information and the preservation and transmission of Europe’s linguistic and cultural diversity.

13. the European Commission and the Member States of the European Union to establish a European cooperation framework on AI, regional or minority languages and national minorities in order to bring together public authorities, research institutions, technology companies and representatives of national minority communities, promote research and innovation, develop open language resources and ensure that regional or minority languages and the languages of national minorities are adequately taken into account in AI technologies.

14. the European Commission and the Member States of the European Union to ensure that regional or minority languages are adequately included in existing European language technology initiatives, in particular the European Language Data Space and the Alliance for Language Technologies (ALT-EDIC), and that the communities concerned and their representative organisations can participate in and benefit from these initiatives.

FUEN ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES 2026

RESOLUTION 2026-01

Rhodes, Kos (İstanköy) and the Dodecanese Turks Culture and Solidarity Association

The Delegates of the Member Organisations of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) adopted the following resolution at their Assembly of Delegates on 19 September 2026 in Helsinki/Helsingfors, Finland:

Protecting the Rights of the Turkish Minority in Rhodes and Kos

More than 9,000 members of the Turkish minority (self-identifying as the Muslim minority of Turkish identity) live in the Dodecanese Islands of Greece, mainly on Rhodes and Kos. The Greek authorities do not recognize the rights of the Turkish minority, arguing that when the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne was signed, the Turks living on these islands were under Italian administration. By referring to the Turks of Rhodes and Kos as “Greek Muslims,” Greece denies their ethnic identity. The Turkish community of Rhodes, Kos and the Dodecanese considers itself protected by the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne. Regardless of the applicability of that Treaty, the members of this community are entitled under the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the European Convention on Human Rights to the free exercise of their ethnic identity and to the designation of their choice.

While FUEN seeks constructive dialogue and cooperation with the Greek authorities, the Turkish islanders continue to face the following longstanding problems:

• Their right to Turkish-language education was taken away in 1972. As Greek and European Union citizens, members of the Turkish community should be able to learn, use and transmit their mother tongue, in accordance with European human rights and minority-protection standards. Despite being officially described as “Greek Muslims,” their right to religious education has also been restricted.

• Foundations (waqfs) established to preserve the cultural heritage of the Ottoman Turks have been undermined by successive Greek governments. Permission is not granted for the maintenance and restoration of historical monuments. The restoration projects that are claimed to be carried out are often regarded as merely cosmetic measures. • Turks who have completed higher education in Greece are not granted the right to serve as reserve officers in the military.

The General Assembly of FUEN calls upon the Greek authorities to undertake the following actions regarding the Turkish minority living on Rhodes and Kos:

1. Recognize the Turkish minority’s right to express its ethnic identity, as well as its freedoms of assembly and association.

2. Recognize the right to education in the mother tongue by permitting the establishment of public and private bilingual schools providing instruction in both Turkish and Greek.

3. Respect the religious autonomy of the Turkish minority and recognize its freedom to choose its own religious leaders.

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4. Allow members of the Turkish minority to elect the administrators of their foundations and ensure that they have full control and management rights over foundation properties and assets.

5. Take the necessary steps to restore and protect the cultural heritage and historical monuments of the Turkish minority.

6. Establish dialogue with representatives of the Turkish minority living on Rhodes and Kos in order to resolve their longstanding problems.

7. Review the practice of withdrawing Greek citizenship from persons unable to return within one year of travelling to Turkey, in line with international standards against arbitrary deprivation of nationality.

8. Ratify the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and ensure that persons belonging to the Turkish community of Rhodes and Kos are effectively protected in accordance with its principles.

FUEN ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES 2026

RESOLUTION 2026-02

The Macedonian Association “Ilinden”-Tirana

Recognising that the Republic of Albania is bound by the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM), and noting the continued relevance of the situation of the Macedonian minority as discussed at the FUEN AGSM Seminar in Tirana in June 2026, the Delegates of the Member Organisations of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) adopted the following resolution at their Assembly of Delegates on 19 September 2026 in Helsinki/Helsingfors, Finland

Macedonian national minority in the Republic of Albania

1. The Government of the Republic of Albania1 to sign and ratify the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

2. The Government of the Republic of Albania to ensure – in accordance with Article 3 of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities – that persons belonging to the Macedonian national minority may freely choose to be treated as such, and to take effective measures against any external political pressure aimed at denying or assimilating the Macedonian identity in Albania.

3. The Macedonian Association “Ilinden”-Tirana and the Macedonian National Minority in the Republic of Albania request from the Special Parliamentary Commission for Administrative-Territorial Reform of the Assembly of the Republic of Albania that the Municipality of Pustec remain a separate unit of local self-government and within the framework of the new reform not to undergo any territorial change, i.e. not to merge with other administrative units. The Macedonian Association “Ilinden”-Tirana bases this request on the Constitution2 of the Republic of Albania, as well as on Article 16 of the Law on the Protection of National Minorities3 (No. 96/2017), which expressly states:

“It is prohibited to take measures that change the composition of the population in the units of local self- government where persons belonging to national minorities live, with the aim of limiting the rights and freedoms provided for by this Law.” The Municipality of Pustec is the only local unit in the Republic of Albania where the Macedonian national minority constitutes the majority of the population, therefore its preservation is of fundamental importance for the survival and protection of identity.

4. The Macedonian Association “Ilinden”-Tirana and the Macedonian National Minority in the Republic of Albania request that the Municipality of Pustec be renamed the Municipality of Prespa. This proposal is based on the fact that Pustec is only one of the nine villages in the municipality, while the name “Prespa” more fully

1 https://ilinden-tirana.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/fifth-opinion-on-republic-of-albania-advisory-committee-on-the-framework-con- vention-for-the-protection-of-nacional-minorities-2023.pdf https://upr-info.org/sites/default/files/documents/2014-04/coe_upr19_alb_e_an- nexe2_2.pdf

2 Кushtetuta e Shqipërisë / Устав на Албанија 3 Ligji Nr. 96/2017 Për mbrojtjen e pakicave kombëtare në Republikën e Shqipërisë/ Law No. 96/2017 On the Protection of National Minorities

in the Republic of Albania

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represents the historical, geographical, cultural and natural identity of the entire area. The term “Prespa” is traditionally used by the local population, enjoys international recognition and at the same time the entire administrative part coincides with the “Prespa” National Park. The renaming would also help in promoting the region as a tourist and ecological area with special values. The Macedonian Association “Ilinden”-Tirana and the Macedonian national minority in the Republic of Albania request that these be taken into account during the preparation of proposals for the administrative-territorial reform.

FUEN ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES 2026

RESOLUTION 2026-03

Central Council of Yenish in Germany

The Delegates of the Member Organisations of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) adopted the following resolution at their Assembly of Delegates on 19 September 2026 in Helsinki/Helsingfors, Finland:

Recognition of the Yenish as the fifth national minority in Germany

Preamble

The Assembly of Delegates of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN), meeting in Helsinki in September 2026, notes that: The Federal Republic of Germany sets high standards through its protection of four minorities under the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention (FCNM, in particular Articles 1, 3 and 15).

European precedents (recognition of the Yenish in Switzerland and the Irish Travellers, who are related to the Yenish people; UNESCO cultural heritage status for the Woonwagenbewooners in the Netherlands) show that the protection of these ways of life is a European standard. The Yenish in Germany remain excluded from this protection, which structurally hinders their recognition and equality.

Reasons and facts:

According to the Central Council of the Yenish, the Yenish community in Germany fulfils all the criteria of a national minority. Its distinct identity is scientifically and officially documented: Academia & Language: In November 2025, the Central Council substantiated its historical heritage through five interdisciplinary expert reports (including in the fields of ethnology and history). Linguists such as Prof. Dr C. Efing (RWTH Aachen) confirm that Yenish is a distinct language.

The recognition of the Rotwelsch dialects, including Yenish, as intangible cultural heritage by the German UNESCO Commission in 2025 highlights the contradiction in Germany’s policy to date. The state recognises the cultural and linguistic heritage of the Yenish as worthy of protection – yet denies the community that bears this heritage the minority status that is essential to creating the legal framework for effective protection. Nationwide recognition as UNESCO cultural heritage: Since 2025, the ‘Rotwelsch dialects’ – which include Yenish and Manish as well as related varieties (including Masematte and Kochum) – have been officially recognised as intangible cultural heritage by the German UNESCO Commission. These forms of expression, passed down orally, constitute a social heritage handed down through generations that is closely interwoven with the history of the Yenish community. From a linguistic perspective, the sociolinguistic categorisation as a dialect or sociolect by no means precludes the status of an independent language. Furthermore, the historical Nazi persecution of these speech communities forms part of Germany’s nationwide culture of remembrance through Stolpersteine (Stumbling Stones) and exhibitions (Hohenlohe Open-Air Museum).

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Structural and supra-regional roots:

Ichenhausen (Bavaria): A historic centre of settlement and the headquarters of the Central Council of the Yenish in Germany. Singen am Hohentwiel (Baden-Württemberg): A traditional hub in the ‘Three-Country Corner’ with a historically above-average proportion of the Yenish population. Giessen (Hesse): Home to the Manish group (‘Gummiinsel’), which has close ties to the Yenish and historical roots in the region.

Geographical distribution:

In addition, Yenish people live throughout the Rhine region from Lake Constance to Krefeld, as well as in the Moselle region, the Palatinate, the Hunsrück, the Eifel and the Rhineland.

Demands:

FUEN calls on the Federal Government and the Federal ministry of Interior:

To initiate, in consultation with the Central Council of the Yenish and other Yenish organisations, a transparent and time-bound procedure to examine whether the Yenish community in Germany fulfils the criteria for recognition as a national minority under the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, to make the findings of this examination public, and, on that basis, to take a decision on their formal recognition

To ensure adequate public funding for cultural, linguistic and structural projects of the Yenish community, in order to permanently safeguard the preservation of their linguistic heritage – recognised as a UNESCO cultural heritage – in the historical centres and regions.

To establish an advisory committee within the Federal Ministry of the Interior, involving the Central Council of the Yenish, in order to guarantee a lasting political dialogue.

FUEN ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES 2026

RESOLUTION 2026-04

Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), the Friendship, Equality, and Peace (FEP) Party, and the Western Thrace Minority University Graduates Association (WTMUGA)

The Delegates of the Member Organisations of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) adopted the following resolution at their Assembly of Delegates on 19 September 2026 in Helsinki/Helsingfors, Finland

Ongoing Interference in the Religious Autonomy of the Turkish Minority in Western Thrace and Violations of Religious Freedoms

The religious status and rights of the Turkish Minority in Western Thrace in Greece, are guaranteed by the 1913 Treaty of Athens and the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne. Within this framework, the Turkish Minority has the right to elect its own religious leaders, the Muftis, administer its religious institutions, and enjoy religious autonomy.

Until 1967, Greece itself officially referred to the minority as the ‘Turkish Minority’, as reflected in the bilingual signboards of minority schools. The current designation ‘Muslim minority in Thrace’ represents a unilateral shift in Greek governmental policy, not a change in the minority’s identity.

Until 1985, the Turkish Minority in Western Thrace elected its own Muftis. However, in 1991, the state began appointing the Muftis. Since then, the Turkish Minority’s right to elect its own religious leaders has been usurped.

Through Law No. 4964/2022, Mufti offices were transformed into public services under the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, effectively abolishing the Minority’s religious autonomy. In 2026, the Greek authorities appointed a Mufti in Didymoteicho and initiated procedures for Xanthi and Komotini, disregarding the will of the Turkish Minority and violating its treaty-guaranteed rights.

Greece is thereby applying a clear double standard incompatible with the principles of freedom of religion, equality and non-discrimination. While all other known religious communities—the Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church, Judaism, the Armenian Apostolic Church and Evangelical Churches—enjoy the right to elect their own religious leaders, only the religious institutions of the Turkish Minority remain under state control.

The most recent development contrary to religious autonomy occurred following the events at the Çınar Mosque in Xanthi on 11 October 2024, during Friday prayers, which resulted from provocations by state-appointed muftis. In the lawsuit subsequently filed by the state, four members of the Turkish Minority were sentenced to 17-month imprisonment, with the possibility of converting the sentence into a monetary fine.

Freedom of religion or belief encompasses not only the right of individuals to worship but also the right of

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religious communities to elect their own religious leaders, manage their religious institutions, and conduct their religious affairs free from state interference. These rights are guaranteed by Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and Article 8 of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM), both binding on Greece as a Council of Europe member state.

The FUEN Assembly of Delegates emphasises that Greece’s continued interference in the religious affairs of the Turkish Minority in Western Thrace, while refraining from similar interference in the internal affairs of other known religions, is incompatible with the principles of freedom of religion or belief, equality and non- discrimination.

The FUEN Assembly of Delegates calls upon Greece to:

• grant the Turkish Minority in Western Thrace the same religious autonomy and the right to elect their own religious leaders as enjoyed by other known religions in the country, and put an end to discriminatory practices against the Turkish Minority;

• fully restore the religious autonomy of the Turkish Minority in Western Thrace and fully comply with its international obligations by treaties;

• end the practice of state-appointed Muftis and to guarantee the Turkish Minority’s right to elect its own religious leaders in accordance with its own will;

• recognize and respect the elected representatives of the Turkish Minority in all matters concerning its religious institutions and life;

• call upon Greece to ratify without further delay the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM) which Greece signed in 1997;

• fully comply with its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights, and in particular to ensure that members of the Turkish Minority in Western Thrace – regardless of how Greece officially designates this community – enjoy all rights guaranteed thereunder without discrimination on grounds of religion, ethnicity or language.

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RESOLUTION 2026-05

Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People

The Delegates of the Member Organisations of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) adopted the following resolution at their Assembly of Delegates on 19 September 2026 in Helsinki/Helsingfors, Finland:

On the Protection of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and National Minorities in Ukraine

Since Russia’s temporary occupation of Crimea in 2014 and its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the war has resulted in enormous loss of life, colossal destruction, economic instability, and a humanitarian crisis.

The Russian Federation violates fundamental rights and freedoms enshrined in a number of international instruments, including the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Indigenous peoples of Ukraine, as well as national minorities, suffer in the occupied territories. Since the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, Crimean Tatars have been subjected to systemic human rights violations. Recorded crimes include illegal searches, torture, murder, psychological pressure in penitentiary institutions, and the deliberate denial of access to qualified medical care.

The persecution of indigenous women for their active human rights and journalistic work is increasing. They are also imprisoned and given politically motivated prison sentences.

The Federal Union of European Nationalities strongly condemns the war crimes and serious violations of international humanitarian law and other grave abuses against civilians committed by Russian occupation forces on the territory of Ukraine.

Based on the following:

Military actions have led to a significant deterioration in the living conditions of many people, including indigenous peoples and national minorities. Ukraine’s indigenous peoples and national minorities are being forcibly expelled from their historical homeland and replaced by Russian citizens, which has gravely upset the demographic balance. Ukraine’s indigenous peoples and national minorities have become victims of various forms of discrimination by the occupation authorities, which is particularly acute in relation to the Crimean Tatars and Azov Greeks. Since the beginning of the war, Ukraine’s indigenous minorities have demonstrated a strong civic identity and Ukrainian patriotism, which has led to their being subjected to repression by the occupying forces.

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1. We strongly condemn Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine. 2. We call on the Ukrainian authorities, with the support of the EU, the Council of Europe and the OSCE

to develop and adequately fund measures for the preservation and revitalisation of the languages and cultures of Ukraine’s indigenous peoples and national minorities, giving priority to those facing the greatest risk of disappearance.

3. We call on Russia to cease the practice of persecuting women of indigenous peoples and national minorities of Ukraine in the occupied territories.

4. We call on Russia to immediately cease the practice of unlawful persecution of indigenous peoples and national minorities of Ukraine in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

5. We call on Russia to immediately cease the practice of torture in places of detention of Ukrainian citizens imprisoned for political reasons, including by refusing to provide necessary medical care.

6. We call on Russia to immediately release all civilian prisoners, including Crimean Tatars. 7. We call on Russia to acknowledge that the persecution of the indigenous people of Ukraine in the

Autonomous Republic of Crimea, namely the Crimean Tatars, constitutes persecution based on ethnic affiliation and to cease it immediately.

8. We request the FUEN Presidium to approach the relevant committees and intergroups of the European Parliament with a view to organising a dedicated event on the situation of indigenous peoples and national minorities in Russian-occupied territories.

FUEN ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES 2026

RESOLUTION 2026-06

Plataforma per la Llengua

The Delegates of the Member Organisations of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) adopted the following resolution at their Assembly of Delegates on 19 September 2026 in Helsinki/Helsingfors, Finland:

Resolution on the Right to Use Catalan in Healthcare

Whereas the legal framework governing linguistic rights in healthcare in Spain remains incomplete, and existing linguistic guarantees are not consistently or effectively implemented, with the result that patients cannot always receive healthcare services in Catalan in territories where it has official status;

Whereas the failure to ensure that patients can communicate with healthcare services in Catalan is incompatible with the obligations arising from Article 10(2)(a) and (c) and Article 13(2)(c) of the ECRML;

Whereas such failures also undermine the effective exercise of the right to free and informed consent guaranteed by Article 5 of the Oviedo Convention, as it presupposes clear and comprehensible communication between professionals and patients. In fact, a 2024 scientific study conducted in Canada demonstrated that language-concordant healthcare is an essential component of patient safety, quality of care and the protection of patients’ rights.

The FUEN Assembly of Delegates requests the Ministry of Health of the Spanish Government that:

• Consider accreditation of a level of Catalan a merit when selecting a trainee position in communities where it is official and include Catalan in their training plan.

• Require trainees in Catalan-speaking territories to accredit a B1 level of Catalan after 1 year. • The FUEN Assembly of Delegates requests that the Government of Catalonia: • Establish Catalan language training modules in the country of origin of professionals. • Require healthcare professionals to demonstrate an official C1 level of Catalan within a maximum of

three years or upon obtaining a permanent position, whichever comes first. • Establish effective complaint and monitoring mechanisms.

The FUEN Assembly of Delegates requests that the Governments of the Valencian Country and the Balearic Islands:

• Adopt and enforce specific healthcare legislation explicitly guaranteeing patients’ right to be attended to and receive healthcare in Catalan throughout the healthcare system.

• Ensure that healthcare workforce planning and recruitment policies enable public health services to guarantee the linguistic rights of Catalan-speaking patients.

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• Extend linguistic guarantees to privately provided healthcare services. • Establish effective complaint and monitoring mechanisms.

The FUEN Presidium is instructed to transmit this resolution to the Government of Spain, the ECRML Committee of Experts, and the relevant committees of the European Parliament.

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RESOLUTION 2026-07

Ecumenical Federation of Constantinopolitans

The Delegates of the Member Organisations of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) adopted the following resolution at their Assembly of Delegates on 19 September 2026 in Helsinki/Helsingfors, Finland:

Necessity of Elections at the Istanbul Greek-Orthodox Foundation “BALIKLI HOSPITAL”

The status of the Greek-Orthodox Minority of Istanbul is established by the Treaty of Lausanne (1923), Article 42 of which guarantees full protection to minority welfare foundations and grants their members the right to elect the boards of those foundations.

Nonetheless, elections rarely took place throughout more than a century: none during 1923–1949, 1969–1991, and 2012–2022. A new elections regulation was issued in June 2022.

The largest of the 70 Greek-Orthodox foundations is the BALIKLI RUM HOSPITAL (est. 1743). Under the 2022 Regulation, a hospital-specific elections statute was to be issued by end of 2022, with elections to follow by end of 2023. Neither has occurred.

In 2015 members of the minority brought the case before Turkish courts. The Constitutional Court ruled on 19 December 2023 (Appeal No. 2019/5202; Government Journal 20 May 2024-32551) that elections must take place, invoking ECHR case law on freedom of association. Under Art. 153 of the Turkish Constitution, this ruling is final and binding on all state bodies. Despite repeated appeals, it has not been implemented.

Whereas the right of minority members to elect the boards of their welfare foundations is protected under Articles 9 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights, as affirmed by ECHR case law;

Whereas the Constitutional Court’s binding ruling of 19 December 2023 has not been implemented despite numerous appeals to the competent Turkish authorities;

The FUEN Assembly of Delegates calls upon the competent authorities of the Republic of Türkiye to immediately comply with the binding ruling of the Constitutional Court of 19 December 2023 (Appeal No. 2019/5202) and to organise without further delay democratic elections for the administrative board of the Balıklı Hospital Foundation.

The FUEN Assembly of Delegates instructs the FUEN Presidium to transmit this resolution to the Government of the Republic of Türkiye, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, and the relevant committees of the European Parliament.

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RESOLUTION 2026-08

Domowina – Zwězk Łužyskich Serbow/Zwjazk Łužiskich Serbow/Union of Lusatian Sorbs

The Delegates of the Member Organisations of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) adopted the following resolution at their Assembly of Delegates on 19 September 2026 in Helsinki/Helsingfors, Finland:

Safeguarding Sorbian as a living language within the school systems

Sorbian should not be limited to isolated lessons; it must shape everyday school life as a living language. However, staffing shortages, a lack of qualification pathways, and organizational decisions are increasingly resulting in a situation where instruction, class management, and school communication at schools offering Sorbian-language programs can no longer be consistently conducted in Sorbian. Consequently, the transmission of the language to the next generation is in immediate jeopardy.

The Sorbian people constitute an autochthonous national minority in Germany. Their language is protected by the state constitutions and specific legislation of Saxony and Brandenburg, as well as by the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.

Schools and day-care centers are pivotal venues for passing on regional and minority languages to the next generation.

While the right of all children to high-quality general education must be guaranteed without restriction, this right cannot be played off against the protection, cultivation, and further development of the Sorbian language.

Recognizing the specific situation of Lower Sorbian in Brandenburg, which requires consistent revitalization and an unbroken language transmission chain extending from day-care centers through primary schools to secondary education, the FUEN Assembly of Delegates calls upon the Free State of Saxony and the State of Brandenburg to:

1. ensure that every class at a Sorbian school is supported by teachers who are capable of confidently using the Sorbian language in both instruction and everyday school life;

2. to refrain from personnel and organizational decisions that reduce Sorbian to a marginal subject, and to ensure that measures aimed at guaranteeing general educational quality are not implemented at the expense of Sorbian language education and the development of linguistic identity;

3. to develop, jointly with representatives of the Sorbian people, Sorbian educational institutions, and the relevant higher education institutions, binding medium- and long-term strategies for the recruitment, training, and retention of Sorbian-speaking teachers, and to secure long-term funding for teacher training, professional development, qualification, and incentive programs for Lower and Upper Sorbian;

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4. in Brandenburg, to strengthen the continuous language chain, extending from “Witaj” day-care centers through primary schools to secondary schools, and to expand bilingual and immersion programs for Lower Sorbian;

5. to regularly and transparently assess and report on the staffing situation at schools offering Sorbian- language instruction;

6. to support representatives of the Sorbian people in their language planning efforts and to involve them at an early stage in all decisions concerning Sorbian educational institutions and Sorbian language education.

The FUEN Assembly of Delegates calls upon the Federal Republic of Germany, the Free State of Saxony, and the State of Brandenburg to fully implement their obligations under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities regarding Sorbian education, and to adopt the Council of Europe’s recommendations for strengthening teacher training and educational provision for Lower and Upper Sorbian.

It requests the FUEN Presidium to forward this resolution to the State Government of Saxony, the State Government of Brandenburg, the Saxon State Parliament, the Brandenburg State Parliament, the Federal Government of Germany, the relevant bodies of the Council of Europe, and the competent institutions of the European Union, and to include the topic of qualified teachers and continuous language education for regional and minority languages in the work of the FUEN Education Working Group.

FUEN ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES 2026

RESOLUTION 2026-09

Fara Armaneasca dit Romania/The Arman Community from Romania

The Delegates of the Member Organisations of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) adopted the following resolution at their Assembly of Delegates on 19 September 2026 in Helsinki/Helsingfors, Finland:

Revitalizing the Armãn/Vlach Language and Culture: A Call for European Action

Preamble:

The Armãn/Vlach language and culture face a critical and imminent threat of disappearance, driven by globalization, rapid assimilation, and a dramatic decline in active speakers. Despite decades of effort, including the Council of Europe’s Recommendation 1333/1997, and listing the Armân language as „seriously endangered” by UNESCO, the expected effects have not materialized. In spite of these declarations, the Armân people continue to face fragmented legal recognition, lack consistent institutional financing, and suffer from an alarming absence of native-language education systems.

We emphasize that the Armãn people have found solidarity, strategic tools, and a powerful collective voice through active participation in FUEN and the Non-Kin-State Minority Working Group. Minorities without a kin-state face unique, existential vulnerabilities requiring specialized European solidarity, and FUEN is the platform best placed to provide it.

Regional Status Assessments

• Republic of North Macedonia: Despite constitutional recognition (1991, 2001) and formal native- language rights in education, media and religion, implementation remains weak: polarization marginalizes smaller groups, and the electoral system leaves Armãns without parliamentary representation.

• Albania: Recognized as a national minority under Law no. 96/2017, but a 20%-municipality threshold makes native-language education largely inaccessible, with negligible state funding.

• Bulgaria: With only 1,500–2,000 active speakers and no institutional support, the language faces imminent extinction.

• Greece: Home to the largest Armãn population worldwide, yet the state collects no community data, and intergenerational transmission has almost ceased.

• Romania: The state does not recognize Armãns as a minority, treating the language as a Romanian dialect. Native-language education and public funding are absent, and the 2011/2022 censuses aggregated or omitted ‘Armãn(ă)’ self-identification.

• Serbia: Not recognized as a national minority in its own right; the 2022 census recorded 327 self- declared Armãns. Under the 2002 minority law, groups above 300 persons may establish a National Council.

FUEN ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES 2026

Strategic Priorities & International Cooperation

We appeal to national governments, the Council of Europe and the EU to implement the following:

• Legal Frameworks: Full ratification and implementation of the FCNM and the ECRML. • Self-Identification: Guaranteeing the right to self-identify freely in national censuses. • Cross-Border Structures: The Council of Europe should encourage and support the renewed

‘International Council of Armãns’ as a model for cross-border cooperation. • Joint Revitalization Action Plan: A unified European/State action plan for language revitalization,

jointly funded by states and EU institutions.

Strengthening Collaborative Advocacy for Non-Kin-State Minorities (NKS)

• Invite FUEN to use the NKS Minority Working Group to jointly advance our shared advocacy goals, cooperating closely with the FUEN Presidium and drawing on FUEN’s status in the Council of Europe and European Parliament to keep NKS minorities on the human rights agenda.

Targeted Sectoral Actions

• Education: Introduce native-language education from pre-school upward. • Culture: Establish an Armãn culture institute, with NGO premises and stable public funding. • Media: Secure broadcasting slots and support for Armãn-language print and online media.

FUEN ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES 2026

RESOLUTION 2026-10

De Fryske Beweging / Youth of European Nationalities

The Delegates of the Member Organisations of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) adopted the following resolution at their Assembly of Delegates on 19 September 2026 in Helsinki/Helsingfors, Finland:

Making regional and minority languages an integral part of vocational education

Technical and vocational education prepares students for professions where language skills are essential. In sectors such as healthcare, social services, education, public administration, and many other professions, professionals communicate directly with citizens and communities. Vocational education should therefore equip students with the language skills they need in their future profession. This is important not only for students who already speak a regional or minority language, enabling them to expand their professional vocabulary and confidently use their language at work, but also for students who do not speak the language at home and will encounter it in their professional lives. Proficiency in regional and minority languages enables future professionals to provide better and more accessible services to the communities they serve.

However, in many European countries, regional and minority languages receive little or no attention in technical and vocational education. As a result, students often graduate without the language skills needed in their profession, while speakers of regional and minority languages are given little recognition that their language is a valuable professional asset.

The situation of West Frisian in the Netherlands illustrates this challenge. Although West Frisian is recognized under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, opportunities to learn professional West Frisian language skills and to use West Frisian as a language of instruction within vocational education remain limited. Indeed, the Netherlands has not ratified any sub-provision of Article 8.1(d) for West Frisian in vocational education at all, a gap the Charter’s Committee of Experts urged it to close in its 2022 evaluation report.

Article 8.1(d) of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages allows states to choose between different levels of commitment regarding technical and vocational education: providing such education in regional or minority languages, providing a substantial part of such education in these languages, or providing the teaching of these languages as an integral part of the curriculum. Restricting these commitments to those who request them, as provided for in Article 8.1(d)(iv), fails to establish a structural and sustainable place for regional and minority languages in vocational education.

FUEN ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES 2026

The FUEN Assembly of Delegates calls on the Netherlands

to ratify and fully implement Article 8.1(d) of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and to make regional and minority languages an integral part of technical and vocational education curricula.

It further calls upon other States Parties to the ECRML, in consultation with the respective language communities, to review their commitments concerning technical and vocational education and, where necessary, to accept and implement an appropriate undertaking under Article 8(1)(d), taking into account the situation and needs of each language.

FUEN ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES 2026

RESOLUTION 2026-11

L’Institut Culturel de Bretagne / Skol Ihel Ar Vro/Cultural Institute of Brittany

The delegates of the Member Organisations of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) adopted the following resolution at their Assembly of Delegates in Helsinki, Finland on 19 September 2026:

Public subsidies for Breton organizations in the Department of Loire-Altantique discontinued

The European Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of people belonging to minorities. These values are common to the Member States in a society in which pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality between women and men prevail (article 2 of the Treaty on the European Union).

The European Commission has recognized the existence of a Breton minority in France and the settlement of Bretons in five departments as created during the French Revolution (see response to a claim dated of November 8th 2010 D(2010)1950-A 3864). Nowadays Bretons live in the region «Bretagne» with only four departments and in the department of Loire-Atlantique (southern Brittany), being kept in another region «Pays de la Loire» since World War II.

In accordance with the provisions of Article 2 of the Treaty on the European Union, the French State bears a responsibility to respect and protect the rights of people belonging to the Breton minority on their historical settlement.

Claiming great financial difficulties, the French State has reduced its dotations to the French Regions, inducing a decrease in their budget. In order to compensate this financial reduction, the Council of the Region of Brittany decided to preserve intact its share of budget concerning Breton language and culture. On the contrary, the Department of Loire Atlantique, even though being on historical Breton ground, decided to reduce all grants allowed previously to cultural organizations promoting Breton culture and languages of Brittany. In the Loire- Atlantique department, the situation is even worse each year. All the largest Breton organizations didn’t get any support from the Region «Pays de la Loire», from the Département of Loire-Atlantique nor from the large cities of Nantes and Saint-Nazaire. These organizations have been compelled to dismiss their staff.

These funding cuts in Southern Brittany risk accelerating the assimilation of the people into a new artificial identity being promoted by the political institutions of Loire-Atlantique, an identity that increasingly overshadows and supplants the local long established Breton identity.

This erosion of Breton cultural visibility is compounded every year by the reduction and, eventually, by the cancellation of the grants to Breton cultural associations, and to most Breton events in Loire-Atlantique. On the other hand the promotion of an artificially created Pays de la Loire is more and more apparent, with the creation of new logos of the Pays de la Loire region, displayed on buses, trains, buildings, at the entrance of major cities and all documentation.

FUEN ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES 2026

Meanwhile, the region of Pays de la Loire allocates considerable resources for its own self-promotion in the media.

This erosion of Breton cultural visibility runs counter to the obligation and the binding commitment of the French state to protect the rights of Bretons belonging to a national minority.

The FUEN Assembly of Delegates calls on French state to:

• honour its binding commitment under the Treaty on the European Union and to mobilize all its regional and local administration, including in Brittany, and consequently:

• Intervene onto the President of region «Pays de la Loire» President of the Departemental Council of Loire-Atlantique and Mayor of the cities of Nantes and Saint-Nazaire in order to stop the disregard for the Breton identity of the inhabitants of Loire-Atlantique.

• Likewise take into account, in all their decisions, the Breton identity of the inhabitants of Loire- Atlantique, and give them all the necessary financial support to protect and promote their languages, cultures and identities.

• Intervene onto the region Pays de la Loire to reconsider and scale back its self-promotion campaign in Loire-Atlantique where it comes at the expense of the region’s Breton character.

FUEN ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES 2026

RESOLUTION 2026-12

NSKS / Narodni svet koroških Slovencev / Council of Carinthian Slovenes SKS / Skupnost koroških Slovencev in Slovenk / Community of Carinthian Slovenes ZSO / Zveza slovenskih organizacij na Koroškem / Central Association of

Slovenian Organisations in Carinthia HKD / Hrvatsko kulturno društvo u Gradišću / Croatian Cultural Association in

Burgenland Hrvatski centar za kulturu, obrazovanje i politiku u Beču / Croatian Centre for

Culture, Education and Politics in Vienna

The Delegates of the Member Organisations of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) adopted the following resolution at their Assembly of Delegates on 19 September 2026 in Helsinki/Helsingfors, Finland:

Urgent call for the implementation of ethnic minority language education in Vienna

Pursuant to paragraph (2) of Article 8 of the Federal Constitutional Law (B-VG), the Republic of Austria acknowledges its long-established linguistic and cultural diversity, which is expressed through its indigenous ethnic groups. The language and culture, as well as the continued existence and preservation of these ethnic groups, must be respected, safeguarded and promoted. This is in accordance with Article 14 of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM), which also provides for such measures where there is a significant number of people living outside traditional settlement areas. On the basis of the minority school laws for Carinthia and Burgenland, bilingual teaching in German/Croatian, German/Slovenian and German/Hungarian is offered at primary school level, whilst Croatian, Slovenian and Hungarian lessons are also provided at secondary schools.

A long-standing demand of Austria’s autochthonous ethnic groups is to provide continuous educational provision in and for ethnic group languages, from nursery school through to the Matura, as there is a sustained need for this. The current aim is to establish a continuous educational provision in Vienna in the languages of these ethnic groups, from nursery school through to the Matura.

The following steps are necessary for the sustainable implementation of this long-standing demand:

• Implementation of the necessary legislative amendments (where required – including the Private Schools Act, the Ethnic Groups Act and the Minority Schools Acts – see the proposal by the indigenous ethnic groups) to provide legal and thus financial safeguards for the existing continuous bilingual education model of the Czech Komenský School Association

• Consequently, the creation of continuous bilingual educational programmes from nursery school through to the Matura in the languages of the ethnic groups in Vienna

FUEN ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES 2026

• i.e. the implementation of the (language) pedagogical model of the Komenský School Association, which has for years been able to point to experience and success in bilingual education in Czech and Slovak alongside German

• From an organisational perspective, effective participation and a right to have a say in decision-making must be guaranteed for the ethnic groups.

• Systematic financial safeguards for continuous education in the languages of the ethnic groups in Vienna – implementation of measures at federal and provincial level

• Legal and financial safeguards for early years education and all-day schooling for all languages of the autochthonous ethnic groups in Vienna

We therefore call on the government to intensify discussions with representatives of the ethnic groups and the Federal Ministry of Education, based on the minutes of the meeting from autumn 2024, as well as with all relevant bodies at political and civil service level at federal and state level, in order to be able to adopt the legislative amendments that meet the above-mentioned requirements before the end of this year.

FUEN ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES 2026

URGENT RESOLUTION 2026-13

The Cultural Alliance of Hungarians in Sub-Carpathia (KMKSZ)

On the Full Restoration of Acquired Rights of the Hungarian Minority in Subcarpathia and the Need for the Practical Implementation of Ukrainian–Hungarian Minority Dialogue

The Delegates of the Member Organisations of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN)

Having regard to the commitment of the Federal Union of European Nationalities to the protection of the rights, identity, and cultural heritage of European autochthonous national minorities and linguistic communities;

With reference to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages;

Taking into account Ukraine’s European integration aspirations and the negotiation framework for accession to the European Union, which lays down the full respect and protection of the rights of national minorities as a priority condition;

Mindful of the extraordinary challenges caused by the ongoing war in Ukraine and the social, economic, and demographic hardships affecting the Hungarian community in Subcarpathia;

adopted the following resolution at their Assembly of Delegates on 19 September 2026 in Helsinki/Helsing- fors, Finland:

Welcoming Bilateral Dialogue: The Assembly of Delegates welcomes the high-level bilateral negotiations initiated between Ukraine and Hungary, as well as the consultations of expert working groups on minority affairs. It considers it a particularly positive step that the parties are engaged in dialogue on resolving open issues concerning the Hungarian minority in Subcarpathia and reviewing the legal framework.

Urging Practical Implementation and Legislative Steps: The Assembly of Delegates emphasizes that negotiations and statements of intent on principle are not in themselves sufficient for the effective realization of minority rights. It urges the Government and Parliament of Ukraine to translate the agreements in principle reached during bilateral consultations into practice as soon as possible, and to adopt the necessary legislative amendments and executive decrees.

Full Restoration of Acquired Rights: The Assembly of Delegates highlights that the full restoration of the previously granted acquired rights of the Hungarian community in Subcarpathia is an indispensable condition for preserving the community’s identity, remaining in their native homeland, and upholding European standards of minority protection. This applies in particular to the following areas:

FUEN ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES 2026

• Education: Fully guaranteeing Hungarian-medium education from kindergarten to higher education, preserving Hungarian as the language of instruction for all subjects, and removing restrictions on minority schools.

• Language Use: Guaranteeing the free use of the Hungarian language in the public sphere, public administration, culture, and local media.

• Representation and Public Administration: Ensuring proportional and effective representation in local and regional decision-making, taking into account the characteristics of settlements and regions traditionally inhabited by Hungarians.

Direct Dialogue with Representatives of the Local Community: The Assembly of Delegates draws the attention of the Ukrainian authorities to the fact that during the preparation of decisions affecting the Hungarians of Subcarpathia and the practical application of legal provisions, sustained and meaningful consultations must be conducted with the community’s legitimate organization, The Cultural Alliance of Hungarians in Sub- Carpathia (KMKSZ).

The European Significance of Restoring Minority Rights: The Assembly of Delegates emphasizes that the full restoration of the acquired rights of the Hungarian community in Subcarpathia is not only of paramount importance to this community. The legal implementation of the results of the Ukrainian–Hungarian minority dialogue can create more favorable legal and institutional conditions for all national minorities and indigenous peoples of Ukraine who speak an official language of the European Union, as the adopted legislative amendments will extend to these communities as a whole. The Assembly of Delegates is convinced that solutions consistent with international minority protection standards will contribute to Ukraine’s democratic development, strengthen the rule of law, and reinforce the fulfillment of accession conditions set out by the European Commission.

European Solidarity and Monitoring: The Assembly of Delegates of FUEN reaffirms its solidarity with the Hungarian community in Subcarpathia and calls upon European institutions—including the European Union and the Council of Europe—to monitor the practical implementation of undertaken commitments and legal corrections in Ukraine.

The Assembly of Delegates of FUEN requests the Presidium to forward this resolution to the Office of the President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, representatives of the Hungarian Government, and the relevant bodies of the European Union and the Council of Europe.

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