On May, 25th in Kiev in the State committee on affairs of nationalities and religions the round table devoted to discussion of a bill of Ukraine «About the concept of the state ethnonational policy» has taken place. The vice-president of Council SBI has taken part In work of a round table «Remedial social movement« Russian-speaking Ukraine »R.O.Bortnik.

In the performance of Ruslan Olegovich has declared that offered Goskomnatsreligion the Concept project is the extremely inconsistent document.

«One of key problems of the offered bill is the question of definitions of concepts« the nation «,» the Ukrainian nation «and» national identity ». Authors of the document suggest to unite such global categories as the Ukrainian nation, the Ukrainian political nation and the Ukrainian people that within the limits of the given document acts as an obvious methodological error. In structure of the Ukrainian nation it is offered to carry all citizens of Ukraine, irrespective of ethnos. However through the text of the concept a refrain there passes a phrase« the Ukrainian nation, national minorities and ethnic groups »- in which the first term already switches on last two. Thus, again two disputed tendencies — on assimilation (like the American concept» melting pot «-» a melting copper ») and on preservation of uniqueness of separate ethnic groups (as in new American ideology« salad bowl «-» a salad bowl ») are put.

In definition actually «the state ethnonational policy» the purpose strengthening of national unity in the country »is underlined statements« atmospheres of interethnic tolerance. Thus, on the one hand, it is underlined necessity of peaceful co-existence of various ethnic groups, and with another — unity strengthening, and accordingly — degradation of barriers between various cultural-psychological communities and their merge in the uniform nation that contradicts state democratic principles. Besides, the specified object of action of the Concept — «ethnonational relations» — not settling concerning the directions of activity presented in the document. Moreover, in a bill at all there is no definition «language minority» — that does not correspond to the Law of Ukraine «About ratification of the European Charter of regional languages or languages of minority». Thus for Concept limits questions of functioning of languages of minority and regional languages are thrown out, and also questions of a legal protection of their use and development »- are specified by the legal expert.

«The concept completely is based on ethnonationalist, conservative and out-of-date representations about interaction of various ethnic groups in a society. Dynamics of the present, globalisation and information processes considerably wash away international barriers, therefore as a priority problem real and effective preservation of original cultures, traditions and languages of minority should act not is formal-legal, but. And in general, the document does not answer present calls, moreover — its realisation can lead to an aggravation of ethnic, language and social conflicts in the Ukrainian society» — considers Ruslan Bortnik.

The legal expert has suggested to reconsider a bill of Ukraine «About the concept of the state ethnonational policy», having worked and having developed all terminology in a uniform direction of a state policy. Besides, it is necessary to consider presence not only national, but also language minority in Ukraine, and, accordingly, to put in the Concept mechanisms of assistance to development and protection of languages of minority and regional languages.

The Press-service of Allukrainian public organisation

«Remedial social movement« Russian-speaking Ukraine»