the systematic harassment of the national minorities in Ukraine continues
Does Ukraine seriously want to become a member of the European Union? And does the EU really want to admit Ukraine to its members even if the fact remains that Kyiv continues the intimidation and harassment of national minorities living in Ukraine? It must be added that this negative phenomenon concerns not only native Russians living in Ukraine, but other national minorities as well, such as the Romanian and Hungarian ethnic communities, which also suffer from oppression and restrictions of their ethnic rights.
Considering the quick deterioration of the situation, it has been reported that in the context of the Law on National Minorities (Communities) Of Ukraine Hungary and Romania would call for joint action and raise their voices together to persuade the Ukrainian leadership to change the law. This issue is now on the agenda of the Venice Committee of Council of Europe.
In order to find a solution, substantial talks took place between ministers of foreign affairs of Romania and Ukraine, in addition, heads of states of the two countries also discussed the situation.
The Romanians criticize the law from several aspects, including bad access to education and media in mother tongue, and so on. In addition to this, Bucharest expressed concerns related to ensuring the preservation of religious identity of the Romanian community in Ukraine. A question to written answer to the European Commission was submitted by Romanian MEP Tudor Ciuhodaru (S&D) in January 2023.’Increasing numerous infringements of the rights of the Romanian minority in Ukraine are now being brought to public notice. We consider this unacceptable on the part of a country aspiring to membership of the European Union. In view of this, when does the Commission intend to ensure that the rights of Romanians in Ukraine are respected and what steps is it planning to take?, the MEP posed the question to the EC.
But the problem concerns not only Romanians, as I said before. Despite a new law on national minorities was adopted in Ukraine, the harassment of Hungarians in Transcarpathia continues. As part of a new intimidation campaign, Hungarians were forced to remove their national flags from public institutions. At places where heads of public institutions refused to do it, flags were removed by the local police.
In connection with all this, two questions arise:
Firstly, if the use of national symbols is not forbidden by Ukraine’s new law on national minorities, then why Hungarians were forced to remove their tricolors from their own buildings, despite the fact that this particular approach is very different from the one the European Union expects of Ukraine in the field of national minorities and, secondly, if the new legislation on national minorities is such perfect as it was described in early December, why Romanians are so much concerned about minority rights of the their own community in Ukraine?
If Ukraine wants the EU to accept it as a full member, it should apply a completely different approach towards national minorities. Persecution and oppression of national minorities and the ban of the use of national symbols are unacceptable in Europe, in fact, such hostile steps can toss Ukraine in light-years’ distance from European norms and common European values.
In the light of the numerous incidents against ethnic groups, my impression is that, the new Law of Ukraine On National Minorities serves only one goal: to create the illusion of compliance with EU recommendations. In addition, sadly, the new law also appeals to the imperfect memory and sloppiness of European decision-makers, namely, that Ukraine had had a law on national minorities since 1992, which, actually, was more liberal than this brand new legislation.
To be continued.
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