EFHR: Meeting with the Advisory Committee of Convention for the Protection of National Minorities

On 6 March 2018 representatives of the Advisory Committee of the Council of Europe (Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities) met with representatives of national minorities in Lithuania.

The aim of the meeting was to monitor the progress of implementation of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. On 23 February 2017 Lithuania submitted the fourth report on the implementation of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities between second half of 2011 and second half of 2016 in Lithuania. It is worth pointing out that the deadline was 1 July 2016 and the report was submitted with a delay.

The meeting was attended by representatives of Polish media in Lithuania, Polish education system, non-governmental organizations and other institutions.

During the convention, arranged with the help of the European Foundation for Human Rights (EFHR), were discussed various issues related to national minorities, such as name spelling, bilingual topographical names and the educational situation of national minorities. There was also a debate on how electoral districts has been established in Lithuania. A representative of EFHR, Ewelina Dobrowolska, spoke about the matters, achievements and difficulties of the Foundation. EFHR has also presented its alternative report on the implementation of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities Rights in Lithuania, in which it included the information which hasn’t been given in Lithuania’s official report.

EFHR considers the meeting as beneficial for both parties and is grateful for the opportunity to meet an expert and share their observations.