1995: Slovakia, Legal Recognition of Slovak Sign Language
The National Council of the Slovak Republic passed a law recognizing "Sign Language as a language of communication of the Deaf"
Slovakia has a separate Law on the Sign Language of the Deaf. The Slovak Union of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing was mainly involved in drafting this law. It took over three years of fighting until the law was passed in 1995.
It recognises sign language as the language of the Deaf:
Par.3 Sign Language
(1) the language of communication of the Deaf is sign language.
Further, it states that sign language is a natural visual-movement "language system" and gives Deaf people the right to use it:
Par. 4 Deaf people are entitled) the use of sign language.
Additionally, according to the law, Deaf people have the right to education in sign language (par4(b))."