For the attention of Presidents and Prime Ministers of European Countries,
The President of the Council of the European Union, Evangelos Venizelos,
Members of the European Commission and the European Court of Human Rights
Re: Breton languages, with no official recognition
in danger of disappearing in France
Failure to apply the Charter of local autonomy
and to acknowledge the Historical Boundaries of Brittany.
Request for a detailed investigation by a European Commission
Dear Madam, dear Sir
In 2005 we sent you the enclosed communication, expressing our grievances as to the failure of French State to comply with European Law in respect of rights of minority groups within its confines.
We requested you set in motion the European Investigation Commission in anticipation of this outcome, being no longer able to accept the unilateral response of French Republic, ostensibly on our behalf, a republic which has always claimed to respect its minorities.
This claim was false & remains so.
As you all know, the French State still has to ratify the European Charter for Minority Languages and is envisaging limited concessions to comply with the norm! But this norm will be its own and certainly not conform to what Europe expects! … to be debated in the House on the January 22nd.
The height of the French Government's double standards approach is its unwillingness to apply these civil rights to its own citizens, although it presumes to demand that new entrants to the Union comply scrupulously with them
We sincerely regret having to repeat the 2005 request, but the French State, far from implementing the subsidiarity required by European law, retains the concentration of power in the hands of Central Government as supreme law-maker, with flagrant disregard for the opinions of the majority of MPs, who in theory, represent the views of their constituents.
The French State, which has failed to balance its budget for 40 years, is overburdened with debt and poor economics prospects, would find considerable solutions to its financial problems by reforming its bureaucratic burden ans simplify its too numerous administratif districts. According to regular surveys in the Breton press, the great majority of citizens would ask for nothing better. And if only such a reform could take into consideration the history and natural boundaries of the Breton People! For Brittany was divided in two parts, from an administrative point of view, more than 60 years ago by the Vichy government. This arbitrary and unjust division persists.
Bennozh deoc'h da daol ur sell pizh war an teuliad-mañ
(Sincerest thanks for showing due consideration to this proposition)
President : Angèle Jacq
Cc: to Presidents of the various Autonomous Regions of Europe, to the President of the Breton Regional Council, to Senators and MPs and Presidents of the General Councils of the 5 Breton 'départements' and to Breton MPs in the European Parliament