Bretons’ rage at language remark

THE VICE-president of the Brittany independence party has condemned a suggestion that communes use French street names as “unconstitutional”.

Christian Guyonvarc’h, vice president of the UDB – Union Démocratique Bretonne – said the suggestion was “an intolerable violation of the individual and collective rights of Bretons” and was “a flagrant breach of the recent revision of the French Constitution which has given the first recognition of regional languages”.

The director of mail for La Poste in Brittany, Yves Amiard, called on communes to use French names when addressing letters because new sorting machines could read them more easily.

“Under the pretext of technical reorganisation of sorting, the director of La Poste has undertaken a shocking initiative in asking Bretons to no longer use their language in the naming of their streets and their place-names,” said Mr Guyonvarc’h.

He said he would bring the matter to the regional council of Brittany and added: “What about the Breton families – does La Poste want them to change their name?”