PACE: BULGARIA URGED TO RESPECT MACEDONIAN MINORITY RIGHTS

– December 20, 2012Posted in: Macedonian Regions

The Committee on Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States within the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has urged Bulgaria to respect the rights of all minorities, including the ones of the unrecognized Macedonian minority.

PACE urges Bulgaria to ensure full implementation of all the provisions of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, in particular those concerning the personal scope of application of the Convention in view of the non-recognition of the existence in Bulgaria of the Pomak and Macedonian minorities, and sign and ratify the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

PACE also requires Bulgaria to continue to improve the rights of persons belonging to minorities as regards teaching of and in their mother language, promote knowledge of the cultural identity of minorities and foster tolerance through education.

Bulgaria is urged to systematically and unconditionally condemn hate speech against minorities, step up measures aimed at fostering tolerance and mutual respect and encourage exemplary behaviour by political leaders. (Makedonium)