OFFICIAL LANGUAGE
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE, a language that performs an integrative function within the framework of a given state within its political, social and cultural spheres. The Constitution of the RF (Art. 68) and the Law of the RF On Languages of the Peoples of the Russian Federation of October 25th, 1991, (ed. December 11th, 2002) define the Russian language as the O.l. of the RF, and also establish the right of the republics within the RF to establish their own O.l. In Bashkortostan, in order to ensure the principle of citizens rights equality and exclude any forms of restriction on the grounds of national and linguistic affiliation, the 2nd All Bashkortostan Congress of Soviets (1921) adopted the resolution on which the Bashkir language was declared the O.l. on an equal basis with the Russian language. On September 21st, 1922, the BASSR Council of People’s Commissars adopted the instruction on the introduction of the Bashkir language in the RB institutions records management. The official status of both the Bashkir and Russian languages was recognized by the subsequent Constitutions of the BASSR. In accordance with the Constitution of the RB and the Law On languages of the Peoples of the Republic of Bashkortostan of February 15th, 1999, the Bashkir and Russian languages are official languages on the RB territory. The Bashkir Language is recognized as the language of the Bashkir nation, which has realized its right to self determination, while the Russian language is the O.l. on the terr. of the RF. Work of state authorities and local self government bodies, publication of the RB legal acts, official records management, preparation and conduct of elections and referendums, writing names of geographical objects and registration of inscriptions, road and other signs is carried out on the O.l. of the RB. Legally mandatory use of O.l. does not apply to language communication in the sphere of interpersonal relations.