Tolerance.ro: Romania determined to block Serbia's candidate bid to the EU because of the invention of “Vlach” language

Romania is determined to block a positive decision on the status bid of Serbia regarding its candidacy to the European Union due to the lack of minority rights for the Romanians in Timoc region, according to Danas, a Belgrade based daily newspaper, Tolerance.ro reports .

The news reached top Serbian officials on Thursday as they were preparing to meet with visiting German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle.

"The Romanians have announced they will block the candidacy over the “Vlach” issue. That cast a huge shadow on the already difficult talks with Westerwelle" unnamed sources were quoted according to Danas newspaper.

They also said that there will be "immediate engagement in intensive communication" with the friendly neighbor - one of five EU member-states that have not recognized the ethnic Albanian unilateral declaration of independence.

Romania is determined to block a positive decision on the status bid of Serbia regarding its candidacy to the European Union "unless steps are taken urgently to improve the position of the Romanian (Vlach) minority in Serbia".

The beginning of 2012 Serbian authorities has continued the plan to invent and standardize a new language “the Vlach language”. The so called Vlachs in Timoc region speak Romanian but they were not alowed to learn it in school.

Romanian leaders in Timoc (Eastern Serbia) were asking for many years their civil and political rights as minority: the opening of Romanian schools (or Romanian lessons in schools) and Romanian orthodox churches in Timoc , giving those people civil and cultural rights (such as access to mass-media in the mother tongue).

Source: Tolerance.ro