Challenges in Language Planning and Policies in the Western Balkans

The language policies in the Western world are closely related to administrative planning procedures which allow pragmatic application of expected procedures and responsibilities. Unfortunately, this is not the case in the Western Balkans. Based on the Socio-Historic practices, the language planning and policies are often a political and human rights issue. The right to speak, get educated and get serviced by the public servants in your own ethnic language was an issue that was prolonged in the region. The status of Albanian language in Kosovo drastically improved after the independence and in Macedonia this is an ongoing process that requires strong efforts from the political system and language planners. This paper aims to explore language planning policies in the Western Balkans from the legal but also linguistic perspective. Although it should be strictly an administrative mater often it becomes a sensitive political and a source of ethnic tension. Languages are not considered only as a tool for communication but often should be considered as modes for expressing national, regional or local identities. In this regard language planning should not only be seen as a policy matter but also a source for revitalization of cultural values, semantic and linguistic esthetic values etc. This paper will reflect upon the policies and approaches that need to be promoted in order to see language planning as an asset for further development and cooperation in the region in the time of globalization