Butkevičius: undersecretary’s declaration is too hasty

The Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius said that the undersecretary from the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania (AWPL), Edward Trusewicz, said too early that his priority will be legalising double names of streets in places where people of national minorities live and original spelling of names in passports.

“The declaration is too hasty. In my opinion, it is more like a political promise.”— told Žinių radijas the Prime Minister.

“Every secretary and undersecretary should follow a governmental programme. Currently we are preparing a plan of actions, which will also be based on the governmental programme. In my opinion, there will be as little of negative politicking as possible in this field.”— emphasized Butkevičius.

The governmental programme says: “Matters of double names of streets in places inhabited by national minorities and original spelling of last names in passports will be solved basing on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.”

Trusewicz told DELFI that his basic task as an undersecretary of culture will be preparing a new Act on national minorities, which will legitimise, firstly, double names of streets in places where national minorities live and secondly original spelling of names in official papers. “I dare say that my first task will be regulating the usage of national minorities’ languages. It means we are to prepare a new Act on national minorities”— told DELFI Edward Trusewicz.

Source: http://pl.delfi.lt/aktualia/litwa/butkevicius-wiceminister-kultury-pospieszyl-sie-z-oswiadczeniem.d?id=60450953

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