Serbski Sejm presents the „Program for the democratic self-determination of the Sorbian/Wendish People“

In the past months, the Serbski Sejm has intensively dealt with the concrete design of the future democratic self-determination of the Sorbian/Wendish people. From the very extensive catalogue of measures, 10 points were adopted as core theses. The Serbski Sejm is now presenting these to the Sorbian people and to the state.

„On the one hand, the programme compactly takes up ideas that have been mature for a long time, such as those developed in 2011 by the »KöR working group« with representatives of the federal government, the states of Saxony and Brandenburg, and the Sorbs/Wends. These include, for example, the proposed status of a collective legal personality of the entire people and the acceptance of self-responsibility for school network planning and school authorities. On the other hand, there are new demands for the Sorbian/Wendish languages to have equal status to the German language in the settlement area, 24-hour media programmes and extensive rights of consultation, co-determination and veto in state bodies. This basic programme summarises what the Serbski Sejm, as the democratically elected representative body of the Sorbian/Wendish people, is committed to and what will bring us forward together,“ says Sejm member Tomaš Čornak with conviction, adding: „As mayor of the municipality of Njebjelčicy / Nebelschütz, I can report from the frequently confirmed experience that the greatest possible local self-determination and the assumption of personal responsibility are the key to good coexistence and the successful development of a community. This applies to the communal level in the village as well as to our small self-confident people!“

1. The Sorbian/Wendish people acquire collective legal personality through the creation of a public-law corporation.
2. The Sorbian/Wendish people organise their affairs in democratic self-determination and self-administration (personal autonomy) by means of a representative parliament resulting from direct, free, equal and secret elections and the executive appointed by it.
3. The previous Foundation for the Sorbian People becomes part of the executive of the corporation as a financial administration.
4. The German state shall provide the corporation with adequate financial resources for self-administration from the general tax revenue.
5. The Sorbian/Wendish languages have equal status to the German language in the Sorbian/Wendish settlement area and are accessible to the entire population.
6. The Sorbian/Wendish people are granted extensive rights of consultation, co-determination and veto in state decision-making processes.
7. The Sorbian/Wendish people shall be granted the right to take legal action (Actio popularis) in an appropriate manner.
8. The planning of the school network for the Sorbian/Wendish schools as well as the distribution of teachers for Sorbian/Wendish education shall be placed in the hands of the corporation.
9. The corporation becomes the public service provider of educational institutions at all levels, as well as charitable and social institutions. It shall operate its own school transport.
10. Sorbian/Wendish public radio and TV stations as well as online programmes will provide a comprehensive and modern media supply.
11. The details are regulated in a state treaty with the Federal Republic of Germany, the State of Brandenburg and the Free State of Saxony.