The Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Summoned up the Results of the Parliamentary Hearings, Titled: «Ethnic Policy of Ukraine: Achievements and Prospects»

29 March 2012

The Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on human rights, national minorities and interethnic relations approved the draft Resolution of the VR of Ukraine “On the Recommendations of the Parliamentary Hearings, titled: “Ethnic and National Policy of Ukraine: Achievements and Prospects” and recommended to take it for a basis on its meeting, held on March 21, 2012 as a follow up of the Parliamentary hearings, titled: “Ethnic Policy of Ukraine: Achievements and Prospects”, held on January 11, 2012 in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine,.

At this, the members of the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on human rights, national minorities and interethnic relations, having analyzed all the suggestions received from the participants of the Parliamentary hearings, approved the final version of “Recommendations” to be ordered the MPs of Ukraine – members of the Committee: Oleg Zarubinsky, Viktor Taran, Mustafa Jemilev, Ivan Popes,b Yuriy Gnatkevich and Elena Bondarenko to bring it into consideration of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to.

In particular, the Draft Recommendations say that there are 139 ethnic groups living in Ukraine today, comprising about 10 millions people or about 22 per cent of Ukraine’s population.

Some of the recommendations, addressed to the President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and other state bodies say about the necessity:

– to create the central body of the executive power, dealing with the issues of forming and implementation of the state ethnic and national policy;

– to improve the law in the field of the state ethnic policy, in particular, the toughening of responsibility for actions, aimed at stirring of national, racial or religious hatred;

– to consider as soon as possible the draft law “On restoration of the rights of persons, deportd on the ethnic grounds (№ 5515)”;

– of resettlement of the deported Crimean Tatars and persons, belonging to other nationalities who were formerly deported on the ethnic grounds and have returned to Ukraine, their adaptation and integration into Ukrainian society.

In addition, the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine along with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and other state bodies are recommended to consider the question of carrying out of the international event on protection of the rights of persons, deported on the ethnic grounds, taking into consideration the adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the law, regulating this issue and development of the State program of resettlement of the deported Crimean Tatars and persons of other nationalities who have returned to Ukraine, their adaptation and integration into Ukrainian society.

Full text of the Recommendations is available on the website of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.