Respecting language and cultural diversity is one of the cornerstones of the European Union. This is written into European contracts and laws, but the language policy is within the jurisdiction of the member states and decisions on the placing of bilingual signs are not regulated by European law, said the spokesman for education, culture, multilingualism and youth.
A reporter remarked that if Croatia was an accession candidate and not an EU member country, the Commission would issue a strong-worded statement in this case, to which Commission spokeswoman Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen said this was a hypothetical question on which she had no comment.
Abbott said the Commission encouraged respect and tolerance, but that bilingual signs were within the jurisdiction of the member states and that the Commission could not interfere.
He said the Commission understood the sensitivity of such issues and that it called for tolerance, because respect for language and cultural diversity was one of the EU's fundamental values.