On December 27, President Volodymyr Zelensky held a meeting at the Presidential Office with representatives of Ukraine’s national minorities and invited representatives of indigenous peoples.

The meeting was attended by representatives from 17 national communities, including the Hungarian community, as well as three indigenous peoples.

The approximately two-hour discussion was initiated by Zelensky, who expressed in his opening remarks a desire to make such meetings a regular occurrence.

The President announced that prior to the meeting, he signed a presidential decree designating May 21 as the Day of Interethnic Harmony and Cultural Diversity.

László Zubánics, President of the Hungarian Democratic Union of Ukraine (UMDSZ) and representative of the Hungarian community, was also present and shared details of the meeting on Facebook. He noted:

“The Council of Civil Organizations of Ukraine’s National Minorities was established earlier this spring through amendments to the Minority Law. Since then, it has organized numerous national and regional forums. As the President emphasized in his speech, they aim for representatives of national minorities to act as goodwill ambassadors to their homelands and EU institutions. To support this effort, the Council was tasked with compiling a list of unresolved issues and potential solutions for the President.”

Based on suggestions from national communities, a 27-point list of issues was created and presented to Zelensky during the meeting.

The President stated that he would assign relevant government bodies to address the identified issues and request Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada to propose concrete solutions to expedite their resolution.

Vice Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna emphasized:

“Addressing the issues raised by national communities is a critical component of negotiations with the European Union.”

Zelensky pledged that draft proposals would be prepared for the next meeting.

During the session, Ljudmyla Kovalenko, representing the German community, and László Zubánics, representing the Hungarian community, provided updates on the two largest “portfolios”—culture and education.

Zubánics highlighted that nine points on the 27-point list pertain to issues in minority education, which require special attention. He emphasized the importance of ensuring equal opportunities and access for all citizens, including members of national communities, from preschool to higher education.

He explained that the proposed changes aim to maintain and develop the existing educational network, allowing for the establishment of high schools with as few as one class (up to 25 students) or two specializations by 2027, when the educational reform is set to take effect.

In response, Zelensky tasked Vice Prime Minister Stefanishyna with organizing an education forum early next year. This forum will involve representatives from the Ministry of Education and national communities to discuss the identified issues in detail, Zubánics reported.

Source: Kárpátalja.ma

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