1. The state language of the Russian Federation throughout its territory is the Russian language.

2. Republics have the right to establish their own state languages. In public authorities, local governments, state institutions of the republics, they are used along with the state language of the Russian Federation.

3. The Russian Federation guarantees to all its peoples the right to preserve their native language, to create conditions for its study and development.

Commentary on Article 68 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation

1. Part 1 of the commented article establishes the state language of the Russian Federation - Russian. Similar norms are quite typical for the multinational states though about a state language it is spoken in constitutions of the majority of the countries * (751). Language relations constitute the natural foundation of social contacts and information processes. The state language, used by citizens everywhere, is called upon to fulfill the consolidating role of the country's population, to ensure its integrity.

An analysis of foreign experience in the legal regulation of the use of languages ​​shows that in some of them the concept of "official language" is used, moreover, as a synonym for the concept of "state language" (for example, in India). Although, back in the 1950s, UNESCO experts proposed to distinguish between these concepts, assigning to the state language the status of a symbol of a state performing an integration function, and to the official language the status of the language of legislation, public administration, and legal proceedings * (752). The Model Law on Languages, adopted in 2004 by the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the CIS Member States, defines the state language as the language mandatory for use in political, economic, social, cultural and other official spheres, and the official language as the language legally fixed for use in official spheres along with state * (753). It is this approach that was chosen by the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic (Article 5), which recognizes the Kyrgyz language as the state language, and the Russian language as the official language.

The choice of the state language in multi-ethnic countries is not an easy task. The decision that the language of one group is recognized as the state language can cause conflicts of a national nature. Therefore, in some of them, several languages ​​are state (for example, in India, Ireland, Canada, Switzerland).

The Russian language, due to historical and cultural traditions, plays an important role in the consolidation, unity and cultural development of the peoples of the Russian Federation. According to the All-Russian Population Census of 2002, 98.2% of the total population of Russia speaks Russian.

The status of the Russian language as the state language of Russia is regulated by the Federal Law of June 1, 2005 N 53-FZ "On the State Language of the Russian Federation". In order to ensure the effective functioning of state institutions, the legislator has established areas of official language communication, where the mandatory use of only the state language of the Russian Federation is fixed:

In the activities of state bodies (both the Russian Federation and its constituent entities), local governments, organizations of all forms of ownership, including in the activities of record keeping * (754);

in the preparation and conduct of elections and referendums;

In constitutional, civil, criminal, administrative legal proceedings, legal proceedings in arbitration courts, office work in federal courts, legal proceedings and office work with justices of the peace and in other courts of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation;

When writing the names of geographical objects, applying inscriptions on road signs;

When issuing documents proving the identity of a citizen of the Russian Federation, certificates of state registration of acts of civil status, documents on education, addresses of senders and recipients of telegrams and postal items sent within the Russian Federation, postal money transfers;

In the activities of television and radio broadcasting organizations, editorial offices of printed periodicals, with the exception of the activities of organizations specially established to carry out activities in other languages ​​​​of the peoples of the Russian Federation or foreign languages;

In advertising and other areas defined by federal laws. Ensuring the right of citizens of the Russian Federation to use the state language of Russia provides, first of all, for obtaining education in Russian in state and municipal educational institutions. Therefore, in all state-accredited educational institutions, with the exception of preschool ones, the study of the Russian language as the state language of the Russian Federation is regulated by state educational standards (Article 6 of the Law on Education).

The legislator emphasizes that the obligation to use the state language should not be interpreted as a denial or derogation of the right to use the state languages ​​of the republics that are part of the Russian Federation, and the languages ​​of the peoples of the Russian Federation. Therefore, persons, including citizens who do not speak Russian, have the right to use another language. When protecting and exercising their rights and legitimate interests in cases established by law, they must be provided with the services of translators * (755).

The protection of the Russian language as the state language is intended to be ensured by legislative prohibitions on the use of words and expressions that do not correspond to the norms of the modern Russian literary language, with the exception of foreign words that do not have commonly used analogues in the Russian language. The procedure for approving the norms of the modern Russian literary language when it is used as the state language, the rules of Russian spelling and punctuation is determined by the Government of the Russian Federation.

2. Part 2 of the commented article allows the republics within the Russian Federation to establish their state languages ​​along with the state language of the Russian Federation. The constitution points to two important facts. Firstly, only republics have the right to establish state languages. This is one of the features of their constitutional and legal status, which is different from the status of other subjects of the Russian Federation. In practice of regional lawmaking there were cases of an establishment of state languages ​​by autonomous regions * (756). And secondly, the state languages ​​of the republics should be used in state authorities, local self-government bodies, state institutions along with the state language of the Russian Federation - Russian.

The republics use the right granted to them by fixing the state languages ​​in their constitutions. At the same time, the Russian language and the language of the ethnic group that gave the name to the subject of the Russian Federation are recognized as the state languages, which does not always reflect its numerical superiority over other ethnic groups inhabiting the subject of the Russian Federation (for example, according to the All-Russian population census of 2002 in the Republic of Bashkortostan, the Bashkirs make up 29.7%, and Tatars - 24.1%, while Bashkir is spoken by 25.8% of the population, and Tatar - 34%). The only republic that has not established an additional state language is the Republic of Karelia, in which Karelians make up less than 10% of the population. The recognition by the republics of the Russian language as their state language seems to be very controversial, since it has the status of a state language at the federal level and confirmation of this status in part of the territory of the Russian Federation is not required.

The status of the state language of the republic is regulated by the Law on the languages ​​of the peoples of the Russian Federation and the relevant laws of the republics * (757). In the state language in the republic, legal proceedings and office work can be conducted with justices of the peace and in other courts of the subjects of the Russian Federation, as well as office work in law enforcement agencies of the subjects of the Russian Federation. The state language of the republics can be used in the media of the constituent entities of the Federation, along with the state language of Russia - when issuing documents proving the identity of a citizen of the Russian Federation, civil status records, work books, as well as education documents, military IDs and other documents.

So, in accordance with the Regulations on the passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation, approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of 07/08/1997 N 828 (as amended on 01/05/2001), inserts with the image of the state emblem of the republic can be made to passport blanks intended for registration in the republics and providing for the introduction in the state language (languages) of this republic of information about the identity of a citizen. The form of the insert is established by the executive authorities of the republics and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in agreement with the Heraldic Council under the President of the Russian Federation.

The introduction of state languages ​​by the republics on their territory imposes on the authorities of these subjects of the Federation the obligation to ensure the costs associated with their use and study. For example, in the state languages ​​of the republics, in addition to the Russian version, the texts of official acts, ballots are printed, official office work is conducted in two languages, texts of documents, forms, seals, stamps, stamps and signboards with the names of state bodies and organizations, etc. . Those wishing to master the state language of the republic should be guaranteed instruction in this language to the required level.

The bilingual presentation of official acts requires respect for the authenticity (authenticity) of their texts. This problem is also typical for foreign countries that have established several official languages ​​(Canada, India). However, for example, in India, in deciding the question of the authenticity of the text of a legal act, the English text takes precedence over the Hindi text. This problem in the Russian Federation requires its legislative resolution, given that texts in the second state language are of an official nature and have the same legal force as Russian-language texts * (758).

Giving the opportunity to the republics to establish their own state languages ​​assumes that they will equally, like the Russian language, be owned by state and municipal employees * (759), employees of state bodies and organizations. Therefore, in order to ensure the use of their state languages ​​in all spheres of official relations on the territory of the republics, the legislators of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation have the right - within the meaning of Art. 68 of the Constitution in conjunction with its Art. 43 and in accordance with federal legislation - to provide for its study when receiving basic general education, including in general educational institutions with the Russian language of instruction, having state accreditation, by persons, regardless of whether this language is their native language or not.

At the same time, however, the regulation of the status of the state language of the republic, its protection and development, study (teaching) within the framework of basic general education as a compulsory academic discipline should be carried out without prejudice to the functioning and study of the Russian language as the state language of the Russian Federation in accordance with federal state standards with taking into account the fact that, unlike the Russian language, the state language of the republic is not an official language in the territories of other subjects of the Federation. The study of the state language of the republics cannot be carried out to the detriment of the federal component of the federal basic curriculum and exemplary curricula for general educational institutions of the Russian Federation and hinder the realization of the right of students to an in-depth study of other subjects of the curriculum, including the Russian language, elective subjects, etc. Otherwise, it would create the possibility of violating the principles of equality of rights and freedoms of man and citizen guaranteed by the Constitution and carrying out equal duties by citizens of Russia throughout its territory, including in relation to the realization of the right to education and linguistic rights and freedoms (part 2 of article 6, Part 2, Article 19, Articles 43 and 68), as well as the restriction of the fixed part 1 of Art. 27 of the Constitution of the right to freedom of movement and choice of place of stay and residence.

Such a legal position was set forth by the Constitutional Court in Resolution No. 16-P dated November 16, 2004 "On the case of checking the constitutionality of the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 10 of the Law of the Republic of Tatarstan "On the Languages ​​of the Peoples of the Republic of Tatarstan", part two of Article 9 of the Law of the Republic of Tatarstan "On State Languages of the Republic of Tatarstan and other languages ​​in the Republic of Tatarstan", paragraph 2 of Article 6 of the Law of the Republic of Tatarstan "On Education" and paragraph 6 of Article 3 of the Law of the Russian Federation "On the Languages ​​of the Peoples of the Russian Federation" in connection with the complaint of citizen S. I. Khapugin and requests from the State Council Republic of Tatarstan and the Supreme Court of the Republic of Tatarstan "* (760).

However, the use of the state language of the republics as mandatory for communication in the official sphere should not be absolute. In a number of subjects of the Federation, for example, knowledge of the state language of a subject of the Russian Federation was one of the conditions for election to the post of president of the republic (Adygea, Bashkortostan, Buryatia, Sakha (Yakutia), Tyva). The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation in Resolution No. 12-P of April 27, 1998 "On the case of checking the constitutionality of certain provisions of part one of Article 92 of the Constitution of the Republic of Bashkortostan, part one of Article 3 of the Law of the Republic of Bashkortostan "On the President of the Republic of Bashkortostan" (as amended on August 28, 1997 ) and articles 1 and 7 of the Law of the Republic of Bashkortostan "On the Election of the President of the Republic of Bashkortostan" * (761) indicated that neither the obligation of the republics to establish state languages ​​nor the need for special requirements for knowledge of these languages ​​follows from the constitutional provisions on the right of the republics to establish their state languages as a condition for acquiring passive suffrage, including in the election of the highest official of the republic.In the Determination of November 13, 2001 N 260-O "At the request of the State Council - Khase of the Republic of Adygea to confirm the constitutionality of the provision of paragraph 1 of Article 76 of the Constitution of the Republic of Adygea" * (762) The Constitutional Court strengthened its position tion, establishing that even if the necessary form of regulation (federal law) is observed, this restriction would be disproportionate to the constitutionally significant goals enshrined in Part 3 of Art. 55 of the Constitution.

As practice has shown, the regulation of the use of the state languages ​​of the republics is a rather multifaceted problem. The issue of establishing the graphic basis of the language turned out to be very topical. The use of a language as a state language in various spheres of state activity and in official relations implies its existence not only in verbal (oral) but also in written form. Therefore, the graphic basis of the alphabet is a mandatory and important component of the legal status of the state language.

There are various forms of writing in the world: hieroglyphic (China, Japan), Arabic script (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait), Latin (most European countries, states of the American continents), Cyrillic (Russia, Bulgaria), etc.

In Russia, this was not the subject of legislative regulation, but in 1999 the Law of the Republic of Tatarstan "On the restoration of the Tatar alphabet based on the Latin script" was adopted (the script in the Republic of Tatarstan has changed many times, Cyrillic has been used in recent decades). The changes made to the Law on the Languages ​​of the Peoples of the Russian Federation in 2002 regulate the graphic basis of the state languages ​​of the Russian Federation and its constituent entities: such languages ​​are built on the basis of the Cyrillic alphabet. The constitutionality of the actions of the federal legislator to establish a unified graphic basis for the state languages ​​was subsequently confirmed by the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation in the said Decree of November 16, 2004 N 16-P.

The unity of the graphic basis of the language follows from the constitutional requirements of the unity of the state, its economic and legal space. The general graphics in this case is of great importance, including for the economic and cultural relations of various ethnic groups - subjects of the Federation. Such a legislative decision currently ensures - in the interests of preserving state unity - the harmonization and balanced functioning of the federal language and the state languages ​​of the republics, is aimed at achieving their optimal interaction within the framework of a common language space and does not prevent Russian citizens from exercising their rights and freedoms in the language sphere, in including the right to use one's native language. As is known, in China they believe that the unity of the state was formed and strengthened to a large extent thanks to a single (hieroglyphic) writing system, as a result of which people and ethnic groups with different pronunciations found a common language when denoting certain phenomena.

At the same time, the federal legislator did not rule out the possibility of changing the graphic basis of the alphabets of the state languages ​​of the republics, which they used at the time of the adoption of the Constitution. At the same time, he does not have the right to act arbitrarily, at his own discretion - such a change is permissible if only it pursues constitutionally significant goals, meets historical, cultural, social and political realities, as well as the interests of the multinational people of Russia.

3. Taking into account the multinational composition of the Russian Federation, numbering more than 180 peoples and their ethnic groups, part 3 of the article in question enshrines the right of all its peoples to preserve their own languages ​​and guarantees the creation of conditions for their study and development. Without this, self-identification of a person is impossible.

This approach is consistent with international legal norms. According to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, in those countries where linguistic minorities exist, persons belonging to such minorities cannot be denied the right to use their mother tongue together with other members of the same group (art. 27). In accordance with the Document of the 1990 Copenhagen Meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE, persons belonging to national minorities have the right to freely express, maintain and develop their linguistic identity and to maintain and develop their culture in all its aspects, without being subjected to any attempt at assimilation against your will. In particular, they have the right to freely use their mother tongue in private and public life, to disseminate information, to have access to it and to exchange information in their mother tongue. States will endeavor to ensure that persons belonging to national minorities, whether or not they need to learn the official language or official languages ​​of the State concerned, have adequate opportunities for instruction in their mother tongue or in their mother tongue and, where possible and necessary, for use by public authorities in accordance with applicable national law.

The Parties to the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages ​​undertake to eliminate, if they have not already done so, any unjustified distinctions, exceptions, restrictions or preferences relating to the use of a regional or minority language and intended to hinder or jeopardize its maintenance or development. At the same time, the parties agreed that the adoption of special measures in relation to regional or minority languages ​​in order to promote equality between users of these languages ​​and the rest of the population, or who take due account of their characteristics, shall not be considered as activities aimed at discrimination in towards people using more common languages. States undertake to promote, through appropriate measures, mutual understanding between the linguistic groups of the country, in particular to include respect, understanding and tolerance for regional or minority languages ​​among the objectives of education and training in their countries and to encourage the media to achieve the same goal.

These issues are also regulated in the constitutions of foreign countries. Thus, the Constitution of Spain establishes that "the richness of languages ​​and the diversity of dialects of Spain is part of its cultural heritage and enjoys special respect and protection" from the state (clause 3, article 3). The Swiss constitution requires taking into account the cultural and linguistic diversity of the country (paragraph 3 of article 69) and encouraging mutual understanding and exchange between linguistic communities (paragraph 3 of article 70).

The language problem is very relevant for a number of states. For example, in New Zealand in 1987, the Maori Language Law was adopted, which gave it the status of a second state language. In 1993, the UK passed the Welsh Language Act, which governs its use in Wales. The 2005 Spanish Law for the Extension of the Autonomy of Catalonia provides for measures to protect the Aranese language used by the inhabitants of the Aran Valley. These acts noticeably eased the tension in interethnic relations and, undoubtedly, strengthened the state power as a whole.

The Law on the Languages ​​of the Peoples of the Russian Federation, which proclaims and guarantees equal rights and means of protecting languages ​​(social, economic, legal), provides for the development and financing of relevant federal and regional targeted programs , the ability to create their own writing, creating conditions for education, training and creativity in their native language, applying to state bodies in it, participating in court, etc. (See the commentary to part 2 of article 26). Regulate the rights of citizens to use their native language and other legislative acts, primarily such as: the Law on Education, which determines the conditions for obtaining education in the native language; Fundamentals of the legislation of the Russian Federation on culture, relating languages, dialects and dialects to the field of folk culture; fixing the right of national cultural centers, societies and communities to create national clubs, studios and libraries for the study of the national language; CPC, Code of Criminal Procedure, APC, regulating the use of the native language in court.

One of the laws regulating in more detail the mechanisms by which citizens exercise their linguistic rights is Federal Law No. 74-FZ of June 17, 1996 "On National Cultural Autonomy" (as amended on December 1, 2007). In particular, in order to ensure the possibility of obtaining basic general education in the national language and choosing the language of education and training, national-cultural autonomies have the right to: form non-state (public) preschool institutions or groups in such institutions with education in the national (native) language; create non-state (public) educational institutions (general education, primary, secondary and higher professional education) with instruction in the national (native) language.

In cooperation with state and municipal authorities, national-cultural autonomies have the right to: develop curricula with the participation of educational institutions, publish textbooks, teaching aids, and other educational literature necessary to ensure the right to receive education in the national language; make proposals to the executive authorities, local governments on the creation of classes, study groups in educational institutions with instruction in the national language; participate in the development of state educational standards, as well as exemplary programs for state and municipal educational institutions with instruction in the national (native) language, other languages; organize training and retraining of pedagogical and other personnel for non-state (public) educational institutions; conclude agreements with non-governmental organizations outside the Russian Federation on the creation of conditions for the realization of the right to receive education in the national (native) language and other rights * (763).

Throughout the territory of the Russian Federation, the official language is Russian. This provision of the Constitution (part 1 of article 68) is very important in a state where people of more than 100 nationalities live. And this is not an artificial imposition, since 85% of the population are Russians and the vast majority of people of other nationalities are. 74% of Chechens, 80% of Ingush, 79% of Karachays, 69% of Mari consider (according to the 1989 census) Russian as their native language.

The recognition of the Russian language as the state language means that it is studied in educational institutions, official documents are published in it, work is carried out in legislative and executive bodies of state power, and courts. At the same time, the Law on the languages ​​of the peoples of the RSFSR of October 25, 1991 (as amended on July 24, 1998) provides that citizens who do not speak Russian may use their native language in state bodies, organizations and institutions, and in certain cases (for example, in court), they are provided with appropriate translation.

The establishment of the Russian language as the state language does not exclude the right of certain subjects of the Federation to establish their state languages. This right is granted (part 2 of article 68 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation) to the republics. In public authorities, local self-government bodies, state institutions of the republics, these languages ​​are used along with the state language of the Russian Federation 6 .

However, there are only twenty-one republics that make up the Russian Federation, and there are many more peoples inhabiting the country. Their languages ​​are recognized in Russia as a national treasure of the state, and the Constitution of the Russian Federation secured the right of all peoples to preserve their native language, create conditions for its study and development. Citizens of Russia have the right to receive basic general education in their native language, they have the right to create national clubs, studios and art groups, organize libraries, circles and studios for the study of the national language, all-Russian, republican and other associations. In places of compact residence of national groups, the use of their language in local official office work is allowed. State programs provide for financial and other measures aimed at preserving and developing the languages ​​of the peoples of Russia.

1.4. Customs, monetary and tax systems

From an economic point of view, the Russian Federation is a single market. It is not allowed to establish customs borders, duties, fees and any other obstacles to the free movement of goods, services and financial resources on its territory. The regulation of relations related to the customs common to the Russian Federation is carried out by the Customs Code of the Russian Federation, the Law on Customs Tariff, a number of decrees of the President and resolutions of the Government of Russia. Consequently, in the Russian Federation it is unacceptable to create customs borders between different subjects of the Federation.

But certain circumstances may make it necessary to restrict the movement of goods and services. The Russian Constitution provides for such circumstances, but establishes the possibility of restrictions only through the adoption of a federal law and only for certain purposes: ensuring security, protecting human life and health, protecting nature and cultural values. Thus, a barrier is placed to any kind of local and bureaucratic "creativity" that can arbitrarily interfere with the "unity of the economic space" and "free movement of goods, services and financial resources", which are one of the foundations of the constitutional order (Article 8 of the Constitution). Some of the grounds for restricting the freedom of movement of goods and services are provided for in federal laws on the state of emergency, on weapons, and on the sanitary and epidemiological welfare of the population.

In the Russian Federation, there is a single monetary system, and the ruble is recognized as the monetary unit. Consequently, the subjects of the Federation are not entitled to introduce and issue their own money. The issue of money is carried out exclusively by the Central Bank of Russia, which protects and secures the ruble. The Central Bank operates independently of other state authorities 7 .

In the Russian Federation, both the Federation itself and its subjects have the right to impose taxes. At the federal level, only a law can establish a system of taxes levied on the federal budget. The federal law should also determine the general principles of taxation and fees. Consequently, the subjects of the Federation, having the right to impose taxes, are obliged to do so in accordance with the general principles established for the whole country.

The federation has the right to issue state loans, but only in the manner determined by federal law. This limits the ability of the executive branch to issue loans at its own discretion, which could pose a serious threat to the country's financial system. Loans should be placed on a voluntary basis, that is, they should not be compulsory for citizens and organizations.

The state language is a language that has an appropriate legal status, which is used in a given country in the activities (including official office work) of public authorities and local governments, government agencies, enterprises and organizations, as well as in the publication of laws and other regulatory legal acts. .

As a rule, the state language enjoys special support and care from the state in order to spread and develop it. Often, the issues of studying, developing and using the state language are regulated by special legal acts. Sometimes languages ​​with a similar status and social functions are called official languages, but they do not have strict obligatory and universality.

In some countries, two or more languages ​​have been declared official languages. This is mainly due to the multinational multi-ethnic composition of the population of this state. So, in Finland there are two official languages ​​- Finnish and Swedish, in Malta there are also two official languages ​​- Maltese and English, in India - Hindi and English, and in Switzerland there are four official languages ​​- German, French, Italian and Romansh. In Canada, in order not to aggravate relations between English-speaking and French-speaking Canadians, instead of the status of the state language, two official languages ​​have been established - English and French.

In those multinational multi-ethnic states in which the status of the state language is given only to the language of the titular ethnic group, as a rule, this leads to the displacement of the languages ​​of national minorities, their discrimination and interethnic tension. This situation has developed in most countries of the near abroad, where the Russian and Russian-speaking population, being in the position of national minorities, is deprived of the conditions for the full implementation of a set of human rights and freedoms, primarily in the national-linguistic sphere. Only in Belarus there are two state languages ​​- Belarusian and Russian, in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan the Russian language is declared (along with the state) the official language. In other countries of the near abroad, interethnic, interethnic conflicts arise on interlingual grounds.

All this confirms the conclusion that the problem of the state language has an important political, social, cultural, spiritual and psychological significance. Dissatisfaction with the ethno-linguistic policy may be one of the reasons for inter-ethnic tension and separatist aspirations of discriminated ethnic groups. In a democratic society, to eliminate this situation, the practice of giving the status of state languages ​​to several main languages ​​is used.

Russia is a multinational, multiethnic state. According to the 2002 census, people of 182 nationalities live on its territory, while Russians make up about 80% of the total population. Therefore, the regulation of the use of languages ​​in Russia is a problem of constitutional significance. In Art. 68 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation states that the state language of the Russian Federation throughout its territory is Russian. The republics within the Russian Federation have the right to establish their own state languages. The Russian Federation guarantees to all its peoples the right to preserve their native language, create conditions for its study and development.

Thus, on the scale of the entire Russian Federation, there is only one state language - Russian, i.e. the language of the state-forming and most numerous nation of Russia. The Federation creates conditions for the study of the state language by all citizens of Russia. In all educational institutions, except for preschool ones, the study of the Russian language is regulated by uniform state educational standards. At the same time, in the interests of citizens who do not speak this language, it is provided that they can use the language they know in state bodies, organizations, enterprises and institutions of Russia, and in cases provided for by law, they are provided with an appropriate translation.

At the same time, in Russia everyone has the right to use their native language, to freely choose the language of communication, education, training and creativity (Article 26 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation). The Law "On the Languages ​​of the Peoples of the RSFSR" dated October 25, 1991 states that propaganda of hostility and disdain for any language, the creation of obstacles, restrictions and privileges in the use of languages ​​that contradict the Constitution, and other violations of the legislation on the languages ​​of the peoples of Russia and the republics in its composition are unacceptable .

In the political and legal sense, the status of the official language is close to the state language, which differs from it only in a less strict status and regulation. Therefore, often these two names - state and official - are used as equivalent. The language of the state, international organization, congresses, conferences is proclaimed as the official one, in which office work, correspondence and public speeches are made in government bodies, at meetings, radio, television, etc.

Usually, the official language is proclaimed in those countries that are multinational and multi-ethnic and where there are ethno-linguistic problems. The introduction of an official language is typical for many countries in Asia, Africa, and America. So, in a number of former colonial states, the languages ​​of the former metropolises became such languages. Of the 55 countries in Africa, 21 countries have French as their official language (including 8 cases together with English or some local language), 19 countries have English (9 cases with some other language), 5 countries have Portuguese.

The status of an official language is given to the working languages ​​of certain international organizations. Thus, the Russian language is recognized as official in the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), the International Sports Medicine Federation (FIMS), etc. Six languages ​​- English, French, Russian, Spanish, Arabic and Chinese - are the official and working languages ​​of the UN.

The state language of the Russian Federation is Russian. The Russian Federation is a multinational state, therefore the Constitution of the Russian Federation enshrines the right of the peoples of Russia on their territory to use and study in educational institutions, in addition to Russian, the national language, to draw up documents, in addition to the Russian language, and in the language of the corresponding people of Russia.

Such a right is fixed in the Law of the Russian Federation of October 25, 1991 No. 1807-I “On the Languages ​​of the Peoples of the Russian Federation”. The legal status of the state language in Russia, the scope of its use, protection and support are established by the Federal Law of June 1, 2005 No. 53-FZ “On the State Language of the Russian Federation”, but the adoption of this Law did not sufficiently relieve the gaps in the constitutional legislation of Russia.

Republics within the Russian Federation may establish their own official languages ​​in order to preserve their historical traditions. The Russian Federation protects the right of the peoples of the Russian Federation to use and preserve their languages, therefore the following are unacceptable in the Russian Federation:

1. propaganda of hostility and disdain for any language;
2. creation of obstacles, restrictions and privileges in the use of languages;
3. other violations of the legislation of the Russian Federation concerning the languages ​​of the peoples of Russia.

There are a number of principles for preserving the languages ​​of the peoples of Russia in the Russian Federation:

1. the languages ​​of the peoples of the Russian Federation are the national treasure of the Russian Federation;
2. the languages ​​of the peoples of the Russian Federation are under the protection of the state;
3. the state throughout the territory of the Russian Federation promotes the development of national languages, bilingualism and multilingualism.

The main constitutional principle of preserving the languages ​​of the peoples of Russia is their equality, i.e., all the peoples of the Russian Federation have the right to equally ensure the preservation and use of their native language. This principle ensures the equal rights of all peoples and their individual representatives to the preservation and comprehensive development of their native language, freedom of choice and use of the language of communication. The right to preserve the national language and its comprehensive development, freedom to choose and use the language of communication belongs to all the peoples of the Russian Federation, regardless of the number and their individual representatives, regardless of origin, social and property status, race and nationality, gender, education, attitude to religion, place residence. The subjects of the Russian Federation have the right to adopt laws and other regulatory legal acts on the protection of the rights of citizens to freely choose the language of communication, education, training and creativity.

Guarantees for the protection of the languages ​​of the peoples of the Russian Federation:

1. The languages ​​of the peoples of the Russian Federation enjoy the protection of the state, i.e. the legislative, executive and judicial authorities of the Russian Federation are called upon to guarantee and ensure the social, economic and legal protection of all languages ​​of the peoples of the Russian Federation.

2. Social protection of languages ​​is ensured by the implementation of a scientifically based language policy aimed at preserving, developing and studying all the languages ​​of the peoples of the Russian Federation throughout Russia.

3. The economic protection of languages ​​includes targeted budgetary and other financial support for state and scientific programs for the preservation and development of the languages ​​of the peoples of the Russian Federation, as well as the implementation of a preferential tax policy for these purposes.

4. Legal protection of languages ​​is ensuring the responsibility of legal entities and individuals for violation of the legislation of the Russian Federation on the languages ​​of the peoples of Russia.

The Russian Federation guarantees to the citizens of the Russian Federation, regardless of the knowledge of the national language, the implementation of basic political, economic, social and cultural rights, i.e., restrictions cannot be established on the territory of individual subjects depending on knowledge or ignorance of the language, and violation of the linguistic rights of peoples and individuals entails a liability under the law.