Romania: The treatment by the state and by society of ethnic Ukrainians and Russians, and the state protection available to them (January 1998 - December 1998)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 December 1998 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | ROM30697.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Romania: The treatment by the state and by society of ethnic Ukrainians and Russians, and the state protection available to them (January 1998 - December 1998), 1 December 1998, ROM30697.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ab9f0.html [accessed 22 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
In a 9 December 1998 telephone interview, the vice-president of the Romanian Helsinki Committee in Bucharest provided the following information which represents the vice-president's viewpoint. The vice-president has not heard of any recent complaints by ethnic Ukrainians or Russians in Romania, and is not aware of any difficulty that they are encountering. The vice-president added that they may have difficulties unbeknown to her.
A 8 September 1998 UNIAN [Ukrainian News Agency] article states:
At the same time, Ukraine is deeply alarmed at some acute problems which the Ukrainian community in Romania is encountering, in particular the fact that while there are a number of Romanian-language newspapers published in Ukraine, "Vilne Slovo', the only Ukrainian-language newspaper in Romania, is under threat.
In a 9 September 1998 Romanian Radio emission, a Romanian government spokesman states:
As for the claim that in Romania the sole government-run Ukrainian-language daily, 'Vilne Slovo', is about to disappear, I must point out the following: first, there are no longer any government-run dailies in Romania; second, regarding the financial support we lend to the media in the language of ethnic minorities, I must point out that this is being done, on the basis of the Budget Law, from the funds earmarked for the Department for the Protection of Ethnic Minorities.
We have a protocol, which was signed on 14th August 1998 by the Department for the Protection of Ethnic Minorities and the Union of Ukrainains in Romania, represented by their president, Mr. Stefan Tcaciuc, by which the Ukrainian organization has been granted a substantial amount, worth 1,087,100,000 lei, for their everyday expenses and the issuing of various publications. For reasons of which we are unaware, it is the Union of Ukrainians in Romania that is responsible for the current difficulties facing the Ukrainian-language daily 'Vilne Slovo'. The Romanian government has done its duty...
No additional information on the treatment by the authorities and by society of ethnic Ukrainians and Russians in Romania, nor information on the state protection available to them, could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Romanian Helsinki Committee, Bucharest. 9 December 1998. Telephone interview with the vice-president.
Romanian Radio. 9 September 1998. "Government Rejects Criticism of Treatment of Ethnic Ukrainians." (BBC Summary 11 Sept. 1998/NEXIS)
UNIAN News Agency [Kiev, in Ukrainian]. 8 September 1998. "Foreign Ministry Denies Ban on Use of Romanian Language in Schools." (BBC Summary 11 Sept. 1998/NEXIS)
Additional Sources Consulted
Eastern European Constitutional Review [Chicago]. Winter 1998 - Summer 1998.
Electronic sources: IRB databases, Internet, NEXIS/LEXIS, REFWORLD, WNC.
Transitions [Prague]. January 1998 - October 1998.
Resource Centre country file on Romania. January 1998 - November 1998.
Unsuccessful attempts to contact other oral sources.
