The Embassy of Ukraine in Bucharest states that recently, against the background of the adoption of a new law on national minorities in Ukraine, “information and comments of a distorted and manipulative nature that distort reality” appeared in the mass media and public discourse in Romania. , therefore the diplomatic mission provides a number of clarifications.

• We will remind you that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania sent an extremely critical analysis to Kyiv after the adoption of the law on national minorities in Ukraine, considering it “regrettable” that the normative act was adopted without consultation with the Venice Commission and the Romanian community in Ukraine.
• In addition, thanks to an approach initiated by PSD Senator Titus Korlacean and supported by Hungarian parliamentarians, the Venice Commission was informed of the adoption of an opinion with recommendations on the recently adopted law on national minorities in Ukraine.
• Read also: What the Ministry of Foreign Affairs does NOT say when it criticizes Ukraine for its treatment of the Romanian minority. The delicate problem of Moldovans who do not allow themselves to be “converted”

“Unfortunately, even in the conditions of a large-scale war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, as well as strong support of Ukraine from the authorities and the Romanian people, myths are spreading that the state defends its independence at the cost of its citizens. life, freedom and democracy of the whole of Europe,” the Embassy of Ukraine in Bucharest said on its Facebook page on Friday evening.

In this sense, the Embassy of Ukraine in Romania considers it important to “highlight some facts”.

“Ukraine pays special and constant attention to the observance of the rights of national minorities. The law “On National Minorities (Communities) of Ukraine” adopted in Ukraine is a progressive and significant step,” the diplomatic mission notes.

“The law improves the realization of the rights and freedoms of persons belonging to national minorities”

Thus, according to the Embassy of Ukraine, “the law improves the regulation of the exercise of the rights and freedoms of persons belonging to national minorities (communities), and also ensures European standards for the protection of the rights of national communities, in particular, by creating appropriate mechanisms for their implementation.”

According to the embassy, ​​the main achievements of the Law are, in particular:

• affirming the rights of national minorities (communities) in Ukraine, primarily the right to self-identification, freedom of association of citizens and peaceful assembly, freedom of expression of views and beliefs, opinion, expression of views, conscience and religion, to participate in political, economic, social life, use languages ​​and teaching in the languages ​​of national minorities (communities), as well as preserving the cultural identity of national minorities (communities).
• approving the powers of the central executive body, which ensures the systematic and comprehensive implementation of state policy in the field of protection of the rights and freedoms of persons belonging to national minorities (communities) that adhere to European standards.
• consolidation of the right to create consultative bodies with national minorities in state executive bodies of various levels.
• approving the possibility of creating centers of national minorities in regional centers or in established localities in order to take into account the interests of persons belonging to national minorities (communities).
• national minorities (communities) can use their native language in mass media and in interaction with authorities.

Thus, according to the Embassy of Ukraine, “the law improves the regulation of the exercise of the rights and freedoms of persons belonging to national minorities (communities), and also ensures European standards for the protection of the rights of national communities, in particular, by creating appropriate mechanisms for their implementation.”

The draft Protocol on cooperation in the field of education, agreed from 2021

• “The approaches of Ukraine and Romania to the educational process were agreed in 2021 within the framework of the draft Protocol on cooperation in the field of education between the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the Ministry of Education of Romania. This is a serious document that provides for the implementation of joint measures to ensure proper conditions for learning in the native language for representatives of the Romanian minority in Ukraine and representatives of the Ukrainian minority in Romania. We are waiting for the signing of this document.”
• “The topic of ensuring the rights of persons belonging to national minorities was touched upon, in particular, during recent telephone conversations between the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi and the President of Romania Klaus Iohannis, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania Bohdan Aurescu. A sequence of additional steps is defined to ensure the corresponding rights in the mirror.”

In conclusion, the Embassy of Ukraine emphasizes “the exceptional importance of strengthening mutual trust and cooperation between Ukraine and Romania in countering Russian aggression against Ukraine and preventing the spread of manipulations that can divide and play into the aggressor’s hand.”

Critical position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the legislation on minorities in Ukraine. A list of “negative impact” provisions that Aurescu sent to Kulebi

On December 22, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania (MFA) sent an extremely critical analysis to Kyiv after the adoption of the law on national minorities in Ukraine, considering it “regrettable” that the normative act was adopted without consultation with the Venice Commission and the Romanian community in Ukraine.

Minister Bohdan Aurescu handed over the position to his Ukrainian colleague Dmytro Kuleba along with a list of provisions that, according to the Romanian side, “may have a negative impact, referring to European standards.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminds that in the Conclusion formulated on June 17, 2022 regarding Ukraine’s application to join the European Union, the European Commission indicated, among the steps to be taken, the completion of the reform of the legislative framework regarding the rights of persons belonging to national minorities, in accordance with the recommendations of the Venice Commission, and immediate adoption of effective implementation mechanisms.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs considers it regrettable that the law was adopted in the absence of new consultations of the Venice Commission, the conclusion of which would certainly contribute to ensuring a comprehensive and clear text from the point of view of European legal standards in this matter, including by examining how its previous recommendations are reflected in the regulatory text. It is also regrettable that the law was adopted in the absence of proper consultations with the representatives of the Romanian community in Ukraine, as the Romanian side demanded,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The ministry headed by Bohdan Auresku asks the Ukrainian authorities to consult with the Venice Commission at this stage and fully implement its recommendations, given that the law provides for a six-month period for its entry into force.

“Romania fully supports the European path of Ukraine and understands the natural desire to speed up the process of rapprochement with the EU, tnsă signals that the untimely acceleration of the legislative process in this area significantly affected the process of consultations with representatives of national minorities, which should have been one of the essential ones before the adoption of the law. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasizes that it has repeatedly appealed to the Ukrainian side with a request to carefully consult the Romanian community in Ukraine in the process of drafting and adopting the law,” the message reads.