Representatives of national cultural societies, academics and clergy of Transcarpathia gathered at the round table

On Thursday, June 4, in Uzhgorod, there was a round table on the topic of "Nationalities of Ukraine as a factor in the consolidation of a united state."

The meeting initiated by the Assembly of Nationalities of Ukraine was attended by the heads of regional national-cultural associations, academics and members of the clergy.

         The Head of the Nationalities and Religions Department of the Regional State Administration Anatoliy Szalai, welcoming the participants, said: "Transcarpathians – people of different nationalities – have always lived in peace and harmony and until now there have been no conflicts on ethnic grounds in our land. The common border with four countries – Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland – significantly affects the ethnic composition of the population and distinguishes the region from other regions of Ukraine. That is why one of the priorities for regional development is the state of interethnic relations. So we need to outline prospects for their further development", – Anatoliy Szalai said.

         The official outlined the issues that require urgent solutions at the state level. In particular, the law on the principles of ethnic policy, the new Law "On national minorities in Ukraine" and the resumption of the intergovernmental Ukrainian-Hungarian and Ukrainian-Romanian commissions and so on.

         Then, the roundtable participants examined specific proposals that, according to those present, will improve the national ethnic policy.  The recommendations approved at the meeting will be sent to the Presidential Administration, the Verkhovna Rada and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.