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Kätlin SaalisteCounsellor to Minister for

Population and Ethnic Affairs29.11.2005

The implementation of

the Framework Convention for the

Protection of National Minorities –

the experience of Estonia

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Legal background in Estonia

The Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities was signed on 2 February 1995 and it entered into force on 1 of February 1998. The first report on the implementation of the requirements of the Framework Convention was submitted in 1999 and the second report in 2004.

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Reporting to the Advisory Committee

Preparing the report to the Advisory Committee different parties were included:

•Government •Ministries•The Presidential roundtable on

national minorities •NGOs•Cultural associations

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Achievements on protection of national minorities

• certain legislative and administrative steps to make the naturalization process more accessible and streamlined

• the start of the transfer to Estonian as the main language of instruction in upper secondary schools in the school year 2007/2008

• initiative to exempt of the elderly citizenship applicants from the Estonian language proficiency examination

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Achievements on protection of national minorities

• the language proficiency requirements for electoral candidates have been abolished

• legal to use a foreign language in oral communications with officials of state agencies and local government by agreement of the parties

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Proposals of the Advisory Committee to protect national

minorities• the positive measures to speed up and

facilitate the naturalization process need to be strengthened further

• there is a need to intensify the training and other efforts to ensure that teachers have adequate Estonian language considering the educational reform

• the recruitment of persons belonging to national minorities in public service

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Aims and measures to protect national minorities

• Naturalization – wide-ranging information campaigns, free language courses, consultations, aid-materials, organisation of obligatory base courses in Estonian history and culture

• Educational reform – teacher training, study literature, media campaigns

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Aims and measures to protect national minorities

• Socio-economic aspects together with learning of Estonian – implementation of labour exchange programs, combined employment-language programs

• Support for the ethnic groups – improved financing mechanisms

• Consumption of media – increasing the volume of bilingual media programs

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The new national integration program for 2008-2013

• The new program will be completed by the end of 2007, when the 1st program expires.

• Cooperation with different ministries, NGOs, ethnic organisations, experts.

• Informing the public of the preparation of the program to encourage people to express their visions about objectives and measures.

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For further comments and questions, please contact the Office of Minister for Population and Ethnic Affairs in Estonia:

rahmin@riigikantselei.eePhone: +372 693 5251

1 Rahukohtu street, Tallinnwww.rahvastikuminister.ee

Thank you for your attention!