Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanyshyna said that during negotiations with the EU on the protection of minority rights, the issue of protecting the Russian minority should not be raised, as it simply does not exist. She said this on November 9 in Kyiv at a joint press conference with EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova.
"There is no Russian minority in Ukraine. It does not exist! There is not a single legally formalized community that identifies itself as a Russian minority. There are Ukrainians, some of whom speak Russian. I am an Odesa resident, and when I want to speak Ukrainian, and when I want to speak Russian, I don't need any Moskals or decisions of the Venice Commission to do so," the Vice Prime Minister said.
She added that ensuring the rights of minorities will be a key issue on Ukraine's path to EU membership, and this is not just a Ukrainian problem. According to her, several other candidates have also faced demands in this area during the EU accession negotiations.
Stefanyshyna also noted that despite the Venice Commission's mention of the Russian minority in its decisions and recommendations to Kyiv, it is not mentioned in the dialogue with the EU.
Stefanyshyna emphasized that Brussels shares this point of view: "I am glad that the European Commission understands this."
Earlier it was reported that the European Commission has requirements for Ukraine to start negotiations on EU accession. These include bringing laws on national minorities, the state language, media and education in line with the recommendations of the Venice Commission. However, the EU has stated that the European Commission will not take the situation with the Russian language into account when negotiating Ukraine's accession to the bloc.
