No. 07-00-819/2025-02  Date: 9.3.2026.

MATICA SRPSKA

Prof. Dragan Stanić, President

21100 NOVI SAD

Matice srpske  1

Dear Mr. Stanić,

Within the scope of its competences prescribed by the Law on the Prohibition of Discrimination[1], the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality monitors the implementation of laws and other regulations and initiates the adoption or amendment of regulations with the aim of improving equality and protection against discrimination. In accordance with Article 33, paragraph 1, item 9 of this Law, the Commissioner issues recommendations of measures to public authorities and other entities for the achievement of equality and protection against discrimination.

In this regard, AA addressed us on his own behalf and on behalf of the Church Committee of the Greek Catholic Parish of Saints Apostles Peter and Paul in Novi Sad concerning the use of the term “Uniates.” According to the statements in the submission, the term “Uniates” originates from a specific historical and confessional context of church unions in the early modern period. However, already from the second half of the 18th century, there has been documented resistance among members of the community to this designation, as well as its abandonment in official and self-referential use. As further indicated, in the contemporary context, the term “Uniates” does not represent the official name of any registered church or religious community in the Republic of Serbia but has been replaced by the term “Greek Catholics” in ecclesiastical, state, and minority terminology. It is pointed out that the term “Uniates” is used predominantly in a polemical, negatively toned, and stigmatizing discourse, i.e., that it does not have a neutral descriptive function in contemporary public communication. According to the complainant, official documents of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Serbia confirm that within the legal and institutional system of the Republic of Serbia there is no “Uniate Church,” but exclusively the Greek Catholic Church. It is further emphasized that the position of the Greek Catholic community on this issue is clear, longstanding, and documented, and that members of this community perceive the term “Uniates” as offensive, inaccurate, and imposed, which is why they consider it to constitute a violation of their religious and identity dignity. In their submission, they note that this position has been confirmed by the official stance of the leadership of the Greek Catholic Church in Serbia, by the unanimous decision of the National Council of the Rusyn National Minority, as well as by continuous addresses to institutions by members of this community. It was also pointed out that the Dictionary of the Serbian Language published by Matica Srpska has an exceptionally strong normative and authoritative character. The absence of a clear designation of the term “Uniates” as obsolete and pejorative in the contemporary context would result in: hindered protection of the rights of the Greek Catholic community; the inability of regulatory and self-regulatory bodies to respond effectively; and the shifting of the burden of protection onto lengthy and disproportionate court proceedings.

Upon reviewing the letter of the National Council of the Rusyn National Minority No. 6-4/25 of January 22, 2025, addressed to Prof. Dragan Stanić, President of Matica srpska, it was established that the Council unanimously supported the reasoned request that, in the new edition of the Dictionary of the Serbian Language, published by Matica srpska, the terms “Uniate” and “Uniate (adj.)” (p. 214) be marked as pejoratives, and that the terms “Uniate,” “to Uniate,” “female Uniate,” “Uniate (adj.),” “Uniatism,” and “Uniate (derogatory form)” (p. 1370) be removed from the new edition of the Dictionary of the Serbian Language. As further stated in the letter, the use of the term “Uniate” causes distress among members of the Greek Catholic Church, and for that reason they believe that, by making the requested interventions in the Dictionary, Matica srpska would comply with the provisions of the Law on the Prohibition of Discrimination. The letter of the National Council of the Rusyn National Minority also expressed the expectation that the President of Matica srpska would take into consideration this request, which is also supported as it is by the Eparchy of Saint Nicholas, and act accordingly.

Upon reviewing the letter of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Serbia, No. 080-00-95/2022-26 of April 8, 2022, submitted with the complaint, it may be established that, according to the data entered in the Register of Churches and Religious Communities, the Eparchy of Saint Nicholas – Ruski Krstur, with its seat in Novi Sad, is registered as a legal entity within the Roman Catholic Church in Serbia. Furthermore, upon reviewing this letter, it may be established that, as of April 23, 2019, the Eparchy of Saint Nicholas – Ruski Krstur had been entered in the Register under the name: Apostolic Exarchate for Greek Catholics.

Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Serbia – Directorate for Cooperation with Churches and Religious Communities, No. 07-00-18/2024-01 of December 18, 2024, it is stated that Greek Catholics in the Republic of Serbia (Catholics of the Eastern Rite, in the Republic of Serbia, of the Byzantine Rite) are organized within the Roman Catholic Church as part of the Eparchy of Saint Nicholas Ruski Krstur. The letter further states that the Roman Catholic Church, in addition to believers of the Roman, i.e., Latin Rite, also encompasses communities of believers who use other rites. These communities, over the course of history and due to various circumstances, accepted unity with the head of the Roman Catholic Church, the Pope, while preserving their liturgical tradition. It is clarified that Greek Catholics originated from certain Orthodox Churches that accepted unity with the Roman Catholic Church. Over time, the term “Uniate” acquired a negative connotation, although in itself it does not carry a negative meaning, but rather, when translated into Serbian, means “united.”

The use of the term “Greek Catholic” was introduced in the 18th century in order to avoid the negative connotation that the word “Uniate” had acquired.

Upon review of the Dictionary of the Serbian Language, Matica srpska, Novi Sad, 2011, p. 214, it was established that the following entries are stated:

– гркокàтолик and гркокатòлик м (Greek Chatolic m.) – a member of the Christian Church of the Eastern Rite who recognizes the Pope as the supreme head; Uniate.

– гркокàтоликиња and гркокатòликиња ж (Greek Chatolic f.) – a female person who is a Greek Catholic.

– гркокàтоличкӣ and гркокатòличкӣ, -ā, -ō – relating to Greek Catholics; Uniate (adj.).

Bearing in mind that members of the Greek Catholic religious community consider this an outdated term that today has a negative connotation for members of this community, the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality recommends that Matica srpska take into account the statements of the Church Committee of the Greek Catholic Parish of Saints Apostles Peter and Paul in Novi Sad and of the National Council of the Rusyn National Minority when preparing the new edition of the Dictionary of the Serbian Language, with regard to the use of the term “Uniates.”

In this regard, we kindly ask you to inform us of the actions taken.

[1]  “Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia”, Nos. 22/09 and 52/21, Article 33, paragraph 1, item 7, in connection with item 5.

COMMISSIONER FOR THE PROTECTION OF EQUALITY
Milan Antonijević