Key argument in Kyiv-Bucharest dialog

Romania is the second, after Hungary, neighboring country that bitterly resents the Verkhovna Rada-passed education law which calls for more subjects in Ukraine’s ethnic minority schools to be taught in the official, i.e., Ukrainian, language. The Day has already written about the Hungarian reaction to this law in the article “Ukraine-Hungary: a time to switch from criticisms to dialog.”

But the point is that graduates of the Romanian and Hungarian schools in Ukraine are unable to pass external independent tests in the Ukrainian language and, hence, stand no chances to receive a high-quality higher education in Ukraine whose citizens they are.

And, instead of looking carefully into this law, especially into the way it can be implemented, the Romanian side has in fact begun to issue ultimatums to Ukraine. An illustrious example of this is cancellation of Romanian President Klaus Iohannis’ visit to Kyiv in October.

Speaking recently on telephone with Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko, he expressed profound dissatisfaction about the Ukrainian law “On Education.”

According to Iohannis, the law “will have a negative effect on the right to education in the native language of the people who belong to minorities in Ukraine, including Romanians.” Moreover, the head of the Romanian state has in fact categorically stated that the canceled visit to Ukraine “will take place after resolution of the problems this statutory act has caused.”

As is known, this turn prompted Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin to visit first Budapest and then Bucharest. He explained the new law’s provisions to members of the Romanian parliament. After negotiations with his Romanian counterpart Teodor Melescanu, he tweeted: “In Romania, things are totally different than in Hungary. They are open to a dialog. But the local community is in need of explanatory work.”

Besides, Klimkin emphasized that not a single Romanian school would be closed in Ukraine in connection with the education law and ethnic minorities would gain more opportunities.

“OFFICIAL BUCHAREST IS SHOWING INTEREST IN THE ONGOING DIALOG”

We asked the Ukrainian Ambassador to Romania Oleksandr BANKOV: “Why has Romania reacted so strongly to our law on education? Did Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin manage to ease tension in this question during his visit to Bucharest? Does our law really ‘have a negative effect on the right to education in the native language of the people who belong to minorities in Ukraine, including Romanians?”

“It would be wrong to call the Romanian side’s reaction an ultimatum, especially in comparison with that of Hungary. Yes, the postponement (I stress: postponement) of President Iohannis’ visit is a political signal. Romania has expressed concern and worry over the changes the new law envisions for representatives of ethnic minorities. At the same time, official Bucharest is showing interest in the ongoing dialog. And the telephone conversation of the two presidents is the best proof of this. The Romanian side has welcomed referring the matter to the Venice Commission and is conducting a dialog with our education ministry about the implementation of the education reform. Klimkin’s visit to Bucharest showed the constructive attitude and the desire of our Romanian partners to find compromise decisions, including through a direct dialog with representatives of the Romanian ethnic minority in Ukraine.”

“THE LAW IS AIMED AT PROVIDING EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES TO ALL CITIZENS”

To what extent is it true that, as Iohannis says, Article 7 of the law in its present version considerably limits the rights of the Romanian minority to education in the native language?

“Article 7 of the new law on education contains framework provisions about the medium of instruction and needs to be concretized, particularly via the law on secondary education, in order to set a ratio of teaching in the Ukrainian language and in the languages of ethnic minorities. The law is chiefly aimed at providing equal opportunities to all the citizens of Ukraine, irrespective of their ethnic origin, for professional development and social integration by way of a sufficient command of the Ukrainian language, which is first of all the duty of the state. Yet representatives of ethnic minorities still have a guaranteed right to be taught in their mother tongue in junior classes and to study some subjects in the mother tongue in secondary and senior classes, which in fact allows them to receive a bilingual education and serious advantages for the future.”

ON HOW TO DISPEL THE MYTHS ABOUT “CLOSURE OF SCHOOLS AND FORCED ASSIMILATION”

On the other hand, why does that country’s leadership not understand that the Romanians who live in our country should have fluent command of the Ukrainian language, which would let them carve out a successful career?

“Our main goal is to make sure that the advantages of the new law are understood, which attaches paramount importance to the dialog with representatives of ethnic minorities in Ukraine. They should, above all, appreciate the advantages of bilingual education for the future of their children and dispel the myths about ‘closure of schools and forced assimilation.’ They should become the key argument in our efforts to persuade the neighboring capitals that allegations about the ‘catastrophic consequences of the adoption of this law’ are groundless.”

How does Romania itself observe the rights of ethnic Ukrainians? Can they study any subjects in Ukrainian at secondary schools or gymnasia?

“Ethnic minorities in Romania have the right to receive education in the native language at all levels, including universities. Ethnic Ukrainians in Romania have the Taras Shevchenko Lyceum in Sighetu Marmatiei on the border with Transcarpathian oblast, where instruction is done in the Ukrainian language only. Besides, there are classes, in which some subjects are taught in Ukrainian, at comprehensive schools in the areas where ethnic Ukrainians live compactly.”

“SOME POLITICAL FORCES ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THIS ISSUE”

Is it accidental that Romania has taken up the education law issue? Or is it a political question, as it is in Hungary, which is used in the internal struggle?

“Foreign minorities have always been a sensitive issue for Romania, which is connected with World War Two events. Of course, some political forces are taking advantage of and politicize this issue to a certain extent. However, the ongoing dialog with official Bucharest shows that Romania and Hungary are taking different approaches to the education law problem.”