We need qualified sign language interpreters

Fidesz MEP József Szájer has been re-elected as Vice-Chairman of the European People’s Party Group in the European Parliament. He is to serve an historic sixth term, making him the longest serving MEP in this position.

Ádám Kósa – the first deaf Member of the European Parliament – welcomed the EP’s recently adopted statement on sign languages and qualified sign language interpreters.

“The deaf, too, have a right to participate in politics!” said the Fidesz MEP during the parliamentary debate on the statement. A sign language user, Kósa participates in EP debates through his sign language interpreters. “There is a need for qualified sign language interpreters to make elections, public consultations and other events completely accessible,” Kósa emphasized.

“Sign language interpreting is not assistance, but a fundamental human right as sign language is the mother tongue of those who use it,” the EPP politician pointed out. Interpreting makes it possible for the deaf and the deafblind to live an independent life and to be completely and equally involved in the society.

Ádám Kósa delivered his speech in Hungarian sign language, his mother tongue, which was translated to vocal Hungarian by his sign language interpreter. However, in the middle of his remarks, Kósa stopped his sign language interpreter and continued to sign in the silence of the assembly hall. His colleagues, who do not know Hungarian sign language, could not understand Kósa’s speech without a sign language interpreter. By this, Kósa demonstrated that without an interpreter there is no voice. His address cannot be translated to other languages, therefore he would not be able to participate in political affairs.

In his speech, Ádám Kósa called upon the Commission to fully implement the INSIGN European experimental project that aims at improving communication between deaf or hard-of-hearing people and EU institutions. In addition, he asked the Commission to audit whether deaf, hard-of-hearing and deafblind children have equal access to education in the Member States.

If one element of the “education-employment-access” triangle is missing, the deaf will remain in a disadvantageous situation. In this way, interpreting and complete accessibility have a key role. Hence, we should provide opportunity for deaf, deafblind and hard-of-hearing students and their parents to learn their national or regional sign language through preschool services and school education.