Romania’s foreign minister travels to Cernauti

Romania and Ukraine have again discussed the education law adopted by the Parliament in Kiev and signed by President Petro Poroshenko in September 2017

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Daniela Budu, 12.01.2018, 12:34

Romania’s foreign minister Teodor Melescanu proposed in Cernauti, western Ukraine, that Romania and Ukraine draft a joint document on the application of the Ukrainian education law that affects the right to education in their language for the members of the Romanian community in Ukraine, a community of almost half a million people. Melescanu says article 7 of the new law has a negative impact on education in the Romanian language:

“Romania maintains its position that article 7 of the education law, in the form in which it was adopted, has a negative impact on the right to education in the language of the Romanian minority and of those who have Romanian as a mother tongue. I discussed with Pavlo Klimkin about the opinion given by the Venice Commission on article 7 and the role played by the secondary legislation of these issues so that we find a solution together.”

The proposal has been accepted by Melescanu’s counterpart, Pavlo Klimkin, who says no one wants to Ukrainianise the Romanian ethnic community, given Ukraine’s European Union aspirations, which imply respect for the right of ethnic minorities. Teodor Melescanu has said the 2018 budget will earmark funds for the opening of two border crossing points in order to reduce waiting time on the border with Ukraine. Teodor Melescanu:

“I have discussed with Mr. Klimkin and the finance ministry will earmark in this year’s budget the necessary funds for the opening of two border checkpoints. I would like to point out that, as far as the Romanian side is concerned, these checkpoints are ready, and that we are only waiting for them to be finalised by the other side sometime this year. Moreover, we have also discussed the possibility to open crossing points available exclusively for pedestrians, unhindered by the large flow of cars and trucks, that would allow people to enter into a direct relationship.”

Talks were held in Cernauti between the education ministers from Romania and Ukraine, Liviu Pop and Lilia Grinevich respectively. Also, the Romanian delegation attended the opening of a school and visited the Mihai Eminescu High School, both of which provide teaching in Romanian. Romania’s General Consulate held a meeting with members of the Romanian ethnic community in the region and with Romania’s general consul in Cernauti, Eleonora Moldovan. The two ministers also met representatives of Romanian associations in Cernauti and laid flowers at the memorials in honour of the poets Mihai Eminescu and Taras Shevchenko. (Translated by C. Mateescu)