On Monday, May 8, 2023, consultations were held chaired by Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, on the implementation of legislation to protect the rights of national minorities (communities), in particular the development of the State Targeted National and Cultural Programme “Unity in Diversity”.

The meeting was attended by representatives of national minorities (communities) and indigenous peoples, international organisations (OSCE, Council of Europe, UN), the European Commission and diplomatic missions of EU member states.

“An act has been submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine to approve the Concept of the State Targeted National and Cultural Programme ‘Unity in Diversity’. It is extremely important that this act was developed in an inclusive dialogue with national minorities. As you know, the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience held 16 consultation meetings with representatives of national minorities, NGOs, and indigenous peoples of Ukraine as part of the work on the Concept. Moreover, on behalf of the Government, work is underway to develop the state programme itself, which will be submitted to the Government in the near future,” Olha Stefanishyna said during the meeting.

The State Targeted National and Cultural Programme aims to create sustainable institutional conditions for the effective exercise of the rights and opportunities of national minorities (communities) and indigenous peoples of Ukraine in accordance with international regulatory and legal standards, promoting intercultural competence, interaction and understanding.

The Programme pays particular attention to the integration of Ukrainian society in the context of the need to overcome the consequences of the russian-Ukrainian war and the effects of russia’s longstanding policy of forced assimilation.

The participants also discussed the state of ensuring the educational, informational and cultural rights of national minorities (communities) in the places of their compact residence.

“I would like to emphasise that we are listening to the issues that have been discussed for many years, in particular the educational process, the languages of national minorities and the study of the state language in the places where national minorities live, and we are really working to resolve them. This is a long process, but I am confident that we are on the right track. I would like to emphasise that the Ukrainian Government will not allow any cases of closure of existing schools,” the Deputy Prime Minister added.

According to Viktor Yelenskyi, Head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience, Ukraine’s commitment to ensuring the rights of national communities goes far beyond implementing the European Commission’s recommendations.

“This is a matter of the internal conviction of a society and a nation that has experienced the process of colonisation and wants to get rid of all the attributes that remind it of this, including the persecution of national minorities, the persecution of their languages and customs and their cultures,” said Viktor Yelenskyi.

Representatives of national communities highlighted the inclusive process of developing the programme concept. The speakers expressed their suggestions and comments on the implementation of legislation on the protection of the rights of national minorities in Ukraine and stressed the importance of continuing the systematic dialogue established in recent months.

The Ukrainian side to the consultations was represented by Rostyslav Karandieiev, First Deputy Minister of Culture and Information Policy, Yevhen Kudriavets, Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Yulia Hryshyna, Member of the Parliament and Member of the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science and Innovation, Ihor Lossovsky, Deputy Head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education and Science, Office of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, and Government Office for Coordination of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.

For reference

The completion of the reform of the legal framework on national minorities, which is currently being prepared in line with the recommendations of the Venice Commission, and the adoption of immediate and effective implementation mechanisms is one of the recommendations of the European Commission that Ukraine received along with its EU candidate status.