“Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with representatives of national communities and indigenous peoples of Ukraine.”, — write: www.president.gov.ua
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with representatives of national communities and indigenous peoples of Ukraine.
Representatives of 17 national communities took part in the meeting: Azerbaijani, Arab, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Armenian, Gagauz, Greek, Georgian, Jewish, German, Polish, Roma, Romanian, Turkish-Meskheti, Hungarian, Croatian, Czech – and three indigenous peoples: Karaites, Krymchaks and Crimean Tatars.
The head of state congratulated those present on religious holidays and the coming New Year, wished for peace, and also said that today he signed a decree on the establishment of the Day of International Harmony and Cultural Diversity in Ukraine. It will be celebrated every year on May 21.
“I want to thank you for the unity in the defense of our state, our common independence – in war, at the front, where there are representatives of all our peoples, communities – all citizens of Ukraine. I am grateful for the internal peace in Ukraine, which characterizes our state and helps us to persevere precisely during such trials,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyi.
Separately, the President called on the national communities to contribute to the implementation of Ukraine’s security and geopolitical choice – membership in the EU and NATO.
“Ukraine, I am sure, will be a member of the EU. We’re moving fast enough, it’s never been like this before. We also really need permanent security guarantees – for us, of course, NATO is this choice,” he emphasized.
Deputy Prime Minister-Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration – Minister of Justice Olha Stefanishyna reminded that the first cluster of negotiations on joining the EU will open in January, which also covers the block of issues of this meeting.
“Therefore, you and I are preparing a plan of measures, which should be presented as an indicator of the opening of negotiations,” added Olga Stefanishyna.
According to her, the provision of most educational rights of national communities is already legally regulated.
The head of the State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience Viktor Yelensky noted that the Council of Public Associations of National Minorities (Communities), created after the adoption of the Law on National Minorities, this year developed proposals for legislation and cooperation with the Ministries of Education and Science and Culture and Strategic Communications.
Oleksandr Hara, the representative of public associations of the Greek community of Ukraine, who heads the Council, noted that organizations of ethnic minorities should be involved in the adoption and implementation of decisions at all levels. In particular, the Council proposes to introduce relevant positions or structural divisions in the Regional State Administration.
The head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, Refat Chubarov, emphasized the importance of implementing the law on indigenous peoples adopted in 2021. The President noted that the government, in particular, should work on consolidating the status of the representative body of the Crimean Tatar people by the Mejlis.
The head of the board of the Union of Karaites of Ukraine, Olena Arabadzhi, noted that the Russian aggression deprived the Karaites of their homes, the opportunity to visit their shrines in Crimea, and severed mental and family ties. She called it a real genocide of this small nation.
Following the results of the meeting, the participants adopted a Joint Statement, which supports the Victory Plan and the Internal Stability Plan, as well as Ukraine’s full membership in the EU and NATO. This statement also emphasizes the absolute inadmissibility of any calls from outside Ukraine to agree to the illegal occupation and annexation of territories.
