- October 14, 2013
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“We were even supported by the MP Gražulis”. The coalition’s decision on the National Minorities Act within a week?
After the cabinet council of the governing coalition, Waldemar Tomaszewski said that he didn’t see any major obstacles to passing the National Minorities Act. Coalition partners informed they would have to analyse the project once more. The next cabinet council is due to take place on Monday.
Today’s session took place at the House of Polish Culture in Vilnius. Three issues dominated the meeting, namely the building of atomic power station, National Minorities Act and returning of land.
“When it comes to the National Minorities Act it’s been decided that an official governmental procedure shall be settled. In the case of land’s returning process it was resolved that the special Act will be introduced providing for the forest as a compensation for a public land. The second suggestion, which is going to be registered at the Seimas, comes from Rita Tamašunienė. In short, it consists in the fact that the land in cities being leased by the companies is not returned to the owners. Thanks to the Act’s amendment the land will be returned and later on, the owner will negotiate with the leaseholders whether to lease the land or resell it to them” – said W. Tomaszewski.
AWPL leader: We were supported by MP Gražulis
“I think the National Minorities Act will solve lots of problems, including the voting cards issue. It will also make the turnout higher, everyone will feel important as a voter and that their votes are important too, for they will be given information in their national language. This is included in our manifesto which was created with participation of the Vilnius Region’s inhabitants” – said to zw.lt Rita Tamašunienė, head of AWPL fraction. In her opinion, the current project is based on the European and global practice.
The National Minorities Act and the previous one which expired in 2010 are going to be very much alike, according to the AWPL leader. Tomaszewski added he didn’t see any major obstacles for the project to be approved by the Seimas because the 1991 Act was signed by Vytautas Landsbergis, the then head of state. “This project doesn’t settle the names’ spelling issue. What it does settle is the matter of using the national minorities’ languages in public space as well as the education and culture of national minorities issue” – explained W. Tomaszewski. The Member of the European Parliament added that at places where national minorities live, towns’ and streets’ names will be written in two languages. The coalition should establish the percentage of national minorities’ representatives that should inhabit a particular region. “Standards differ. In Denmark it is about 4 percent, in Finland – 6 percent, in Check Republic – 10, and in Poland – 20 percent. We can say then, that the European standard varies from 10 to 20 percent” – informed W. Tomaszewski.
After the official conference W. Tomaszewski said there were different points of view on the Act among the coalition politicians. “Politicians have different opinions. The Minister of Culture doesn’t agree in many points, that’s his private opinion. Ministers Bernatonis and Andriukaitis said that the act should be passed as soon as possible. Even MP Gražulis said that as long as the new act isn’t introduced, the one from 1991 could be in force, it would only have to be rewritten word for word’ – announced AWPL leader.
The Prime Minister: The decision hasn’t been made yet
“For now the decision hasn’t been made yet but there is a consent that till the next cabinet council, parties and fractions must reach an agreement” – said Algirdas Butkevičius. He added he was not the opponent of bilingual names. “I just said that we must rely on the court’s verdicts. As a Prime Minister I couldn’t say different thing, for the court’s verdicts should be applied. The issue being discussed now is different. I will express my opinion on this case after further discussion and analysis” – explained the Prime Minister.
Loreta Graužinienė, who participated in the session, agreed with the Prime Minister’s opinion. “We decided today that the bill will be sent to all the parties. We’ll discuss it in the committees and give the answer next Monday” – said the leader of the Seimas.
AWPL proposed that before the bill is passed, the previous Act should be restored temporarily. “Together with the lawyers we will consider the AWPL’s proposal of restoring the previous Act, although I have some doubts about it” – explained L. Graužinienė.
Tłumaczenie by Elżbieta Szafarz w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Elżbieta Szafarz within the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.
