Jun 02, 2004

Crimean Tatars: Council of Europe looks at situation surrounding Crimean Tatars


Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe's is studying the situation concerning the rights of national minorities in Ukraine.
SIMFEROPOL. June 1 (Interfax) - The co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe's monitoring committee on Ukraine, Hanne Severinsen and Renate Vohlwend, are studying the situation concerning the observation of the rights of national minorities in Ukraine.

The PACE representatives told journalists that they had met with representatives of the Crimean Higher Council to gather information on the resettling of minorities in Crimea, the representation of Crimean Tatars in local authority structures, the provision of land, the employment situation, the learning and preservation of the Tatar national language, teacher training, and the provision of schoolbooks.

Severinsen said that the situation surrounding ethnic minorities in Ukraine is one of the most important issues and it will be reflected in the rapporteurs' report to PACE, along with a report on preparations for the coming presidential elections.

She noted that once the report is prepared, it will be examined by the Ukrainian government and the government's suggestions will be taken into account.

During their visit to Ukraine, Severinsen and Vohlwend also visited the Transkarpatian region to study the situation surrounding the Mukachevo mayoral elections and Odessa to observe by-elections into the Verkhovna Rada.


Source: Interfax