The OSCE high Commissioner on national minorities visited Western Ukraine

The OSCE high Commissioner on national minorities (HCNM) Astrid Thors analyzed the circumstances of the minority in Western Ukraine, where visited in the period from 29 June to 3 July.

This visit was the 1st visit of the OSCE high Commissioner in multinational Transcarpathian region of Ukraine and Lviv. Torso visited Uzhgorod, Lviv, Beregovo and Mukachevo, where he met with the authorized Russian, Hungarian, Romanian and Polish communities. The Commissioner said that in the field there are good and peaceful inter-ethnic relations.

SARS highlighted the complexity of comprehensive reforms in a period of deep economic slump. She also said that all the reforms undertaken by local authorities, are obliged to comply with the European regulations in the field of protection of national minorities, as well as required to help promote the culture and languages of national minorities.

"I urge the Ukrainian government strongly reinforce the organizational structure conducted concerning the national minority policy, but also to provide a competent discussion with the participation of national minorities in respect of policy reforms," said SARS.

SARS also met with internally displaced persons who arrived in the region from Crimea and Donbas. She later met with the designated local authority stressed the importance of ensuring freedom of religion for located in the region of the Crimean Tatars.

SARS expressed concern emerged controversies in the country, which appeared after the adopted draft law on decommunization.


sections: Politics