The Matica Hrvatska (MH) cultural institution on Tuesday welcomed the draft bill on the Croatian language, outlined by the government earlier in the day, and it called on "intellectuals and patriots" to support the new law.

The Croatians have waited for this law for decades, being aware that its adoption will provide for the institutional framework for the care of the Croatian language and literature, enabling unimpeded development of the language to the benefit of the Croatian people and the Croatian culture, the MH presidency said in a press release after its meeting.

The initiative for the adoption of an act on the Croatian language was made by the MH institution, and its senior members had made the blueprint for the future draft bill.