The Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities today urged the Lithuanian authorities to adopt a comprehensive legal framework, prevent discrimination against students from minority language schools and address negative stereotypes against Roma.
In its Opinion, the Committee welcomes the re-establishment of a department for national minorities, which has led to more visibility for national minority issues in national politics and to improved coordination. It further highlights the efforts made to improve the situation of Roma at national and local level, notably in Vilnius.
However, the absence of a comprehensive legislative framework continues to impede the implementation of important language rights, in particular the spelling of names in official documents and the use of minority languages on topographic indications. The introduction of a unified Lithuanian language curriculum and state exam in 2012 caused significant problems for students from minority language schools, in particular from Polish minority language.
