“Round table” in Moldova: let's protect the Russian language!

In the International day of the native language in the Moldavian city of Beltsy a round table on the subject “Training, Mass Media and Books in the Native Language of Ethnic Minorities of the Republic of Moldova” was carried out. Sodruzhestvo Fund and the League of the Russian youth of the Republic of Moldova became its organizers. Teachers of the higher educational institutions of the republic, policy and public figures, scientists, students, lyceum students, directors of schools, representatives of mass media took part in work of a round table.

About what told the gathered people? Here are the most interesting opinions:

Chairman of the League of the Russian youth of the Republic of Moldova Igor Tulyantsev:

- Celebration of this day makes a special sense and the importance in the country. Moldova is the multinational country. The Moldavians, Ukrainians, Russians, Gagauzians, Bulgarians and representatives of even more than 50 other nationalities live here. It is significant that the Sodruzhestvo Fund decided to carry out it in the city of Beltsy and this initiative was supported by city authorities and various public organizations at once.

Beltsy is the capital of the Russian world of Moldova, this city repeatedly for the last 20 years openly declared the special position on many questions of the development of the country. Last time it was brightly shown on August 5, 2012 when all residents united in opposition to unionist march of enemies of the Moldavian statehood.

Vice-premier of Beltsy city Alexander Usaty:

- People of 59 nationalities harmoniously live in Beltsy as though some forces didn't try to set ethnoses at loggerheads it was succeeded to keep the fine relations between all living here.

Chairman of the board of the Russian community of the Republic of Moldova Lyudmila Lashchenova:

- Optimism and desire something to change to the best unite people of good will. In order to check us, whether to check we were lost on the eve of Day of language the statement of Gutsu was started. We categorically condemn such approaches and demand their universal condemnation.

The special resolution was adopted following the results of discussion. We provide its text:

Unfortunately, today because of policy of replacement of the Russian language and culture from all means of activity of the Moldavian society pursued by the authorities of the Republic of Moldova, the Russian language is in a deplorable state, and, according to the leaders of our state, is minor. Therefore the Russian-speaking citizens of Moldova have nothing as to begin the program on protection of the legitimate rights.

We, the participants of the republican “Round table” have discussed:

- place and condition of application of the Russian language in information and cultural and educational space, in cross-cultural communication;

- situation with management of educational institutions with the Russian language of training;

- quality and methodical equipment of teaching of the Russian and Moldavian languages in educational institutions.

During the analysis and discussion of problems it was noted that the Russian language is one of the most widespread languages in the world, continues to be widely demanded and in modern Moldova. Despite all existing ban it widely applied in various areas of activity of the Moldavian state and society.

At the same time the participants of “round table” spoke with concern about numerous cases of non-compliance of the language legislation by public authorities, courts, polices, rectors of higher educational institutions, about aspiration to limit practice of application of the Russian language in the official sphere. Serious concern in level of the standard of speech in mass media, by quality of teaching of the Russian in preuniversity educational institutions, a condition of educational and methodical base, personnel questions was noted.

Already today, the most important spheres of the state life (medicine, justice, customs, culture, army, law enforcement agencies, etc.) are monolingual and the representatives of only title Moldavian nationality work in them. The language criterion of the admission to public service led to the actual monoethnization of public administration.

Reduction of number of schools with the Russian language teaching, ignoring of offers on creation of national schools, deterioration of the Russian language teaching, artificial reduction of use of the Russian in science and purposeful reduction of number of groups with the Russian language of training at universities led to enormous outflow of the Russian-speaking population to other countries, to considerable deterioration of a demographic and social and economic situation in villages and the cities of Moldova.

The language rights as a component of human rights are sacred and inviolable, any legislative or practical restriction of functioning of the Russian language in the Republic of Moldova is inadmissible. According to section 1 of article 13 of the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova “The State recognizes and protects the right to preservation, development and functioning of the Russian language and other languages used in the territory of the country". According to article 35 “The state provides according to the law the right of the person to a choice of language of education and training”. Today these rights are pretty often violated by the unreasoned actions of the government on optimization of schools. Owing to closing of hundreds of schools pupils are compelled to be trained in classes with the Moldavian language of training that violates their constitutional right on a choice of language of training and education.
Participants of “round table” consider that the provision of the Russian language in Moldova causes reasonable alarm in considerable part of the population of the country therefore for overcoming of negative tendencies and providing favourable prospects for its functioning it is necessary:

- to speed up the work on initiation of improvement of the language legislation in Moldova for the purpose of giving to the Russian of the status of the second state (official) in the Republic of Moldova;

- really to guarantee the right of citizens to education and training in the native language at all levels and education steps;

- to strengthen control of the executive bodies of the power behind observance of the legislative provisions concerning the functioning of languages and first of all in education;

- to use more actively a resource of the Moldavian-Russian and Russian-Moldavian bilingualism on consolidation of society and expansion of social prospects for citizens of the Republic of Moldova within the country and beyond its limits;

- to increase the capacity of preuniversity educational institutions with the Russian language of training for the purpose of support and increase of their competitiveness;

- to improve the educational and methodical base and system of preparation of teachers of the Russian language for secondary and higher educational institutions;

- to create the supervisory commission from representatives of civil society of the country on control of observance of the legislation and activity of executive bodies of the power in questions of functioning of the Russian language in the country.

The additional points brought during a round table:

- Considering that the joint, consecutive interested actions of the Moldavian, Russian and other national and cultural communities can effectively resolve the issues of language equality, we believe to study possibility of the brochure “Language of my country” publication in the Moldavian and Russian languages.

- We have to resist to “optimization” of schools with the Russian language of training and schools (educational institutions) with the Moldavian language of training.

- We call the international organizations, representatives of civil society, the diplomatic missions accredited in Moldova to comment on the statement of the madam Gutsu and to stop attempts of kindling of interethnic discord from representatives of the Moldavian power. Also we demand apologies and refusal of the deputy mandate from Anna Gutsu. The people, who aren't reckoning with the fundamental principles of democracy, not respecting the laws and offending the people of Moldova can't represent its interests in country legislature.

The condition of training and the book in the native languages of ethnic minorities is estimated on bad mark in the Republic of Moldova.