OSCE/Curtis Budden
OSCE must take a more active part in dealing with issues of national minorities’ rights violations in th Baltic Republics and in Ukraine, as Russia’s Permanent Representative to this international organization Alexander Lukashevich stated in his interview to the Izvestia paper.
In his words, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities is busy with educational reorganization in Latvia, which annihilates Russian-language schools. The implementation of the law on education issued in Kiev is also closely followed.
Alexander Lukashevich has reminded that the Institute of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities was founded in the 90ies. Its main task is to observe respect of the rights of these ethnic groups on the territories governed by OSCE.
Russia’s representative has mentioned that the most complicated situation from this point of view exists in Ukraine and in Latvia. Lukashevich has pointed out that Riga’s actions bring forth much concern. Diplomat has explained that Kiev got recommendations of the Venice Commission for Observance of the Rights of the Russian-speaking population in the country, though it does not respect these recommendations in full scope.
Stressful situation exists in Estonia and Lithuania. Lukashevich is sure that, overall these countries represent a knot to be untwisted by means of the international institutions and international influence on the local authorities. Russian permanent representative has pointed out that the laws approved in Latvia and Ukraine violate basic norms of the international law and human rights for freedom of choice, of movement and travel, of education in their native language, etc.
Russkiy Mir
