• December 19, 2012
  • 249

In Lithuania, there is no discrimination, but the lack of tolerance is noticeable, says Trusewicz.

© DELFI (J.Markevičiaus nuotr.)

„The main goal for now is to approve the new Law on National Minorities” – as says for the “Znad Wilii” radio station, Edward Trusewicz –Deputy Minister of Culture, Vilnius city councilor and secretary of the Association of Poles in Lithuania.

Trusewicz aims to combine all the functions performed by him: the secretary, councilor and deputy. “I intend to maintain all the basic functions performed by me: secretary of the Association of Poles in Lithuania, city councilor, and Deputy Minister of Culture. Some changes, certainly, will take place, as I won’t be able to devote as much time to the Association as I used to, which by no means mean that I will work with less dedication”- points out the secretary of the Association of Poles in Lithuania.

Trusewicz asked about how he feels about the promotion, responded that “I feel strange, but I don’t really attach much importance to this feeling, as the position I’m going to hold in the future is similar to the one I have been doing so far. I’ve worked as a part of a group preparing the Law on National Minorities, and I don’t intend to change that”.

The deputy highlights, that the main goal for the time being, is to approve the new Law on National Minorities. It is planned that the law is going to be submitted to the Parliament during the spring session.

 “The political atmosphere in the new government, the new parliament is more favorable to solving the problems of national minorities, than the old one used to. Many of the intellectuals simply fail to understand, why the problem concerning the original spelling of surnames and double-naming of streets, has not been yet resolved. I don’t think we will solve the issue soon”- says Trusewicz.

Steps must be taken also in the area of education. Trusewicz says that the new law on education might be rejected. “There’s no wonder, that the European Commission did not find any violations of minority rights in terms of education, but the positive aspect it that the problem was pointed out. Even a number of politicians of the former government “looked at the problem from the different angle” and started reconsidering the possibility of introducing the longer interim, or even to cancel it”- explained Trusewicz.

According to the politician there is no discrimination in Lithuania, but the lack of tolerance in society is noticeable. “When it comes to persecution due to the fact that a person is a Pole or a representative of another ethnic minority- one does not encounter it. However, in Lithuania, unfortunately, one may encounter lack of tolerance for national minorities in general. In my opinion, the tolerance is worth investing in”- underlines Trusewicz.

Source: http://pl.delfi.lt/aktualia/litwa/trusewicz-na-litwie-nie-ma-dyskryminacji-ale-brak-tolerancji.d?id=60267161

Tłumaczenie Jacek Malatyński w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Jacek Malatyński the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.

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