May 2005

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EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PASSES A RESOLUTION IN DEFENCE OF A NATIONAL MINORITY IN RUSSIA

May 2005 – A resolution on the condition of the Mari minority in the Russian Federation was passed unanimously by the European Parliament at its plenary session in Strasbourg. The resolution states that the Mari minority face considerable difficulties in obtaining education in their native language, since there is no secondary or higher education in Mari. Moreover, the publication of Mari textbooks has declined in the past years.

The resolution calls on Russia's federal and local authorities to respect the freedom of press, and to refrain from undue political interference in the affairs of educational and cultural institutions. It also calls on Russia to respect its obligations under international law concerning protection and development of minority languages and cultures.

"Altogether, national minorities in Russia make up 28 millions of people. Four million of them speak Finno-Ugric languages. In the Mordovian language spoken by around a million people, just some twenty books are published each year, no newspapers are published, nor is this language taught in any school. The situation of the Maris is but a bit better", according to the Estonian MEP Marianne Mikko.

According to the last census, the Maris are a 604 thousand people living in the Mari Republic, located to the east of Moscow. Today, the Maris are underrepresented in Russia due to a constant ethnic cleansing carried out in the local administration of Mari republic, even if this minority has repeatedly demanded the observance of human and civil rights, as well as the right for education, publications and broadcasts in their native language to the extent equal to that available to Russians in th Mari Republic.