The use of catalan in the judiciary of Andorra is a well-established reality, safeguarded by law. It serves as a beacon for those advocating for the language in the courts of neighbouring countries, where its use is threatened or marginalised. This was highlighted during the event "Catalan in Justice" organised by Cultura Activa.
Guillem Soler, a civil magistrate in Barcelona and spokesperson for Àgora Judicial, expressed concern about the situation in catalonia, stating, "The situation of catalan in justice in catalonia is quite worrying. For instance, only 6.5% of court rulings are written in catalan."
However, the latest survey on linguistic usage has raised alarms among many. In this context, and given the privileged status of the Principality, lawyers and judges on both sides of the border recommend taking proactive measures. Elena Gaju, a lawyer in Paris and Barcelona, noted, "We must learn a lot from you, but you must understand that you need to protect it. When I say protect, I do not mean to exclude anyone. If you gradually lose it from generation to generation, unfortunately, it will all fade away."
Guillem Soler added, "You have the advantage of being able to anticipate and perhaps understand what is not working well in catalonia to implement solutions in Andorra before the situation complicates."
In contrast, the administration's perspective is more optimistic, considering the characteristics of the judicial system and the measures taken to defend the language. Mònica Bonell, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, stated, "Justice is not one of those institutions where problems with catalan have been evident. We do not even receive complaints regarding the lack of catalan usage in justice. I believe that with the measures we have implemented, we are correcting this potential risk for the future."
Despite the strength of catalan in the courts, the language's status in everyday life and demographic growth suggest that complacency is unwarranted, although all acknowledge that there is still room to reverse the situation.
