Editor's Note: The following is the English-language transcript of President Viktor Yanukovych's July 3 speech before the Public Humanitarian Council.
Dear colleagues!
We have assembled here due to a very important and sensitive issue of further harmonization of interethnic relations in Ukraine, particularly of ensuring rights of national minorities.
Leaders of the most influential public organizations of national minorities and national-cultural communities as well as officials responsible for execution of state ethnonational policy are invited to participate in the meeting.
I think that in this set we can skillfully discuss key issues in this field.
Nowadays the representatives of more than 130 nationalities live in Ukraine.
Such cultural diversity is a real asset and an important factor of society consolidation and formation of Ukrainian political nation.
Since independence Ukrainian policy on national minorities has been based on humanism, tolerance and ensuring fundamental rights and freedoms according to international covenants.
Recently it has been 20 years since the adoption of the Law “On national minorities in Ukraine”. At the moment of approval it was one the most progressive legislative acts. But life goes on. Given the dynamic development of our state some rules of this Law require improvement and modernization.
Last year the Cabinet of Ministers was instructed to bring amendments to this law for the parliamentary consideration.
The conclusions of Venice Commission and of other European institutions should be taken into consideration in respective elaborations.
Yet the implementation of such changes must be preceded by the adoption of the Concept of state ethnonational policy of Ukraine. It has already been introduced to Verkhovna Rada.
I hope all of you will take part in discussion of this document.
Another fundamental document on countering and prevention of incidents of xenophobia and intolerance in Ukrainian society is the Strategy of combating discrimination.
It already plays significant role regarding liberalization of visa regime with the EU and harmonization of our legislation to the European standards.
In this context the role of society increases. It has to demonstrate its active position and react to the incidents of discrimination.
State bodies should cooperate more closely with civil organizations and institutions (particularly international) that counter xenophobia and intolerance.
I would like to highlight ethnonational situation in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea where Crimean Tatars are settled after the return from Stalin’s deportations.
Ukraine gradually solves issues regarding their relocation and resettlement.
There is a progress in this issue. At the first reading Parliament adopted the Law “On the restoration of rights of persons deported on ethnic grounds”. Still, there is much work to be done.
Ukraine, due to its unique geographic position, is one of the important branches of global migration processes.
That’s why ethnic proportion of population is constantly changing. Recent migrants and refugees become one of the significant factors of international relations development.
State and society should be ready for such processes, react adequately and provide conditions to ensure rights and freedoms of all ethnic groups in Ukraine using the world experience.
Unfortunately, some misunderstandings on the ethnic soil occur in our country as well as in any country where lots of nationalities live together.
However, unlike many other countries, incidents of interethnic and interreligious hostility have local character and do not grow into conflicts in Ukraine.
Holding of EURO-2012 proved absence of racism and xenophobia in Ukraine.
All attempts to discredit Ukraine in front of the world ended with nothing.
I am confident that thousands of fans from all over the world, the representatives of other cultures and beliefs were amazed by hospitability of our people.
In the course of the Tournament not a single crime on interethnic or interreligious soil has been registered.
Ukrainian nation once again confirmed its peacefulness and tolerance.
Tolerance should be taught and it must be done already in school.
Educational facilities should work more in this context and educate young generation under the principle of tolerance to the representatives of other cultures and traditions.
Of course, the media should also play its role. It should truthfully inform the society about any incidents of violence, racism or xenophobia in Ukraine.
Law enforcement bodies play also an important role. Timely and tough response must be given to any effort aimed at stirring up interethnic conflicts.
As the Head of State I would like to assure everyone that the issue of realization of national minorities’ rights will continue to be under permanent control.
I would like to mention shortly some of the problems that exist in the field of international relations and need to be resolved.
The first is a deficient legal base. I have already said a few words about this issue.
The second is reduction of funding from the State budget of Ukraine a number of programs aimed at meeting ethno-cultural needs of national minorities and foreign Ukrainians.
I consider 5 million UAH given in 2012 for the activity aimed at restoring the culture of national minorities, financial support of their publications and establishing contacts with diaspora insufficient.
Still, even with such funding state bodies must not create obstacles for national minorities’ public organizations to receive these funds in order to realize their programs.
International relations sphere which needs measured decisions should not be financed under residual principle.
Next challenging problem is the high rate of payment for rental of premises used by public organizations of national minorities to exercise their statutory activities.
I appeal to local authorities: you should help national minorities’ organizations in receiving rental of state and municipal property without the use of competitive procedures and under preferential terms.
And there is one more issue addressed by the public organizations of national minorities.
Specially authorized body for the implementation of national ethnic policy is the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine.
There is an opinion that organizational level and resource capabilities of the agency in this area are insufficient.
In the process of implementation of state ethnonational policy one must consider more seriously the opinion of the public, those who directly defend rights of national minorities in Ukraine.
Thus, I suggest including the leaders of the most important public organizations of national minorities and national-cultural communities to the working group of Public Humanitarian Council on international and state-church relations.
I mentioned only several problems. This set may be supplemented in the course of our discussion today. I invite everyone to actively take part in this issue.
Thank you.
