Article 1 (Policy on language of the Republic of Armenia)

The Armenian language which serves all the spheres of life of the Republic shall be the state language of the Republic of Armenia. The literary Armenian language shall be the official language of the Republic of Armenia.

The Republic of Armenia shall promote preservation and dissemination of the Armenian language among Armenians residing outside its borders.

The Republic of Armenia shall promote unification of orthography of the Armenian language.

The Republic of Armenia on its territory shall guarantee the free usage of languages of national minorities.

Article 2 (Language of education)

The literary Armenian language shall be the language of teaching and education in the educational and teaching systems on the territory of the Republic of Armenia.

In communities of national minorities in the Republic of Armenia the general education may be organized in their native language in accordance with the state program and with the state patronage and compulsory teaching of the Armenian language.

On the territory of the Republic of Armenia a specialized educational institution in a foreign language may be established only by the Government of the Republic of Armenia upon the agreement of the standing committee on education, science, language and culture of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Armenia.

The entrance examination on the Armenian language and teaching of the Armenian language shall be obligatory at all secondary specialized, vocational and higher education institutions of the Republic of Armenia. The entrance examinations and education for repatriates, refugees, non-Armenians and aliens residing on the territory of the Republic of Armenia shall be organized in the manner established by the Government of the Republic of Armenia.

Article 3 (Language obligations of citizens)

The officials and citizens of the Republic of Armenia working in certain spheres of service shall know the Armenian language.

The Armenian language shall be the language of official statements of persons representing the Republic of Armenia, if it does not contradict the order accepted in that international institution.

In the official conversation citizens of the Republic of Armenia shall be obliged to ensure the purity of the language.

Article 4 (Language rights and obligations of institutions)

The enterprises, institutions and organizations located on the territory of the Republic of Armenia shall communicate with state bodies, enterprises, institutions, organizations and citizens of other countries in a mutually acceptable language.

The state bodies, enterprises, institutions and organizations of the Republic of Armenia shall be obliged:

to conduct the office work in the Armenian language;

to ensure simultaneous translation of statements in other languages into Armenian at congresses, sessions, meetings, symposia, during public statements, official and other public events;

to design signboards, letterheads, labels, post stamps, seals, international mail envelopes in the Armenian language accompanied, where necessary, by translation into other languages.

The foreign state bodies, enterprises, institutions and organizations located on the territory of the Republic of Armenia shall supply the documents that are subject to the state control, with translation into Armenian.

The organizations of national minorities residing on the territory of the Republic of Armenia shall design their documents, letterheads, seals in the Armenian language with parallel translation into their language.

Article 5 (Implementation of the state policy on language)

The Government of the Republic of Armenia, local bodies of state authority and administration as well as the duly authorized state body shall implement the state policy on language in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Armenia.

The Republic of Armenia shall encourage publications, press as well as preparation of textbooks, training appliances, scientific, methodical, reference, popular scientific literature in the Armenian language.

The legislation of the Republic of Armenia shall establish responsibility for violation of the requirements of the present Law.

President of the Republic of Armenia
Levon Ter-Petrosyan

17 April 1993
AL-52