Nadiia Kichera

Mechanisms of public administration in the context of the development and implementation of non-legislative documents on national minorities in the Slovak Republic

Summary. The main subject of this study is the existing mechanisms for the participation of national minorities in the processes of public policy and administration in the Slovak
Republic, which are provided for by the state strategy in the field of protection and provision of the rights of national minorities and ethnic groups. They are contained not only in state legislation and specific laws, but also in non-legislative documents in the field of ensuring and protecting the rights of national minorities and ethnic groups and are the part of the National Strategy for the Protection and Support of Human Rights in the Slovak Republic. Non-legislative documents on national minorities are a functional and effective element of Slovak ethnopolitics, which reflects the dynamics of ethno-national and ethno-political processes and problems in society and allows timely response to them, due to the determination of time limits for the functioning of the document, the development of the next document taking into account the results of the previous one and the involvement of national minorities
to the process of their preparation. This practice contributes to the constant involvement of national minorities in the management process as subjects of public policy, in particular, gives them the possibilities for participation in defining issues and solving problems that concern them, also ensures the cooperation of authorities, local self-government and civil society (representatives and organizations of national minorities, experts, etc.). In addition, such non-legislative documents as action plans for the protection of the rights of persons belonging to national minorities and ethnic groups, various strategies of both broad importance (strategies for the prevention of discrimination, protection of human rights, etc.) and special (for example, specifically on the Roma community), envisage and propose practical measures for the implementation of theoretical, sometimes even formal, provisions of legislation in one or another area, in this case the area of protecting and providing the rights of national minorities and ethnic groups. Such system of implementation of the ethnopolitics of the state contributes to the effective functioning of public administration in this sphere. Key words: public administration, ethnopolitics, national strategy, national minorities, legislation, non-egislative documents, the Slovak Republic.

Issue of national and ethnic minorities, their status, protection and providing of rights, place in the decision-making system, is one of the most popular topics of modern researches, especially with the further development of practical recommendations for the formation and implementation of practical policy on minorities. The processes of growth of polyethnicity of modern states, globalization, integration and, unfortunately, aggravation of conflicts on ethnic grounds, speculation on issues of ethnic, linguistic, religious affiliation, as it happens in Ukraine and so one contribute to the constant actualization of issues of ensuring and protecting the rights of minorities. Therefore, ensuring an effective public policy and administration on national and ethnic minorities, intercultural, interethnic dialogue in society, prevention of ethno-political threats are important tasks facing the developed democracies of the world. Insufficient attention to ethno-national and ethno-political relations, imperfection of legislation in the field of ethno-politics (including laws and non-legislative documents, various strategies and plans for minority development), shortcomings of ethno-political management threatens the growth of centrifugal ethnic tendencies in the country. Changes in the structure of political systems in the Central European region, the disintegration of some and the formation of new states have resulted in the emergence and escalation of ethno-national conflicts, the preservation and growth of separatist tendencies. However, during the first decade of the 21st century, the Visegrad Four countries have experienced an unprecedented period of political and economic democratic transformation on the path to European integration, including in the field of public policy and administration towards national minorities and ethnic groups. The Visegrad Group is an important stabilizing element for Ukraine and an important sphere that can be an example for Ukraine is the ethnopolitics of the V4 countries. The public policy of the Visegrad Group states on the field of national minorities and ethnic groups guarantees the right to develop their culture, disseminate and receive information
in their native language, establish their own organizations, educational and cultural institutions, etc.

Key words: national minorities, ethnic groups, public policy, public administration, political partic-
ipation, Visegrad Group, ethnopolitical management.

The main research objective of the study presented in this article was the ethnopolitics of the Slovak Republic, one of the V4 countries, namely the legislative base and the institutional ensuring the functioning of a system of protection of the national and ethnic minorities’ rights. Slovakia is one of the postsocialist countries that has made the transition to democracy on the way to joining the European Union. The country’s authorities conducted a series of reforms in the ethnopolitical sphere in accordance with European standards. An ethnopolitical picture and separate ethnopolitical challenges in the Slovak Republic are similar, especially in the border areas. Thus, the main goal of the ethnopolitics of Slovakia is to secure the rights of all minorities, interethnic tolerance and ensure the intercultural dialogue. Representatives of national and ethnic minorities in the Slovak Republic have a number of rights and opportunities, directly dependent on citizens whether they can or...

The main research objective of the study presented in this article was the ethnopolitics of the Slovak Republic, one of the V4 countries, namely the legislative base and the institutional ensuring the functioning of a system of protection of the national and ethnic minorities' rights. Slovakia is one of the postsocialist countries that has made the transition to democracy on the way to joining the European Union. The country's authorities conducted a series of reforms in the ethnopolitical sphere in accordance with European standards. An ethnopolitical picture and separate ethnopolitical challenges in the Slovak Republic are similar, especially in the border areas. Thus, the main goal of the ethnopolitics of Slovakia is to secure the rights of all minorities, interethnic tolerance and ensure the intercultural dialogue. Representatives of national and ethnic minorities in the Slovak Republic have a number of rights and opportunities, directly dependent on citizens whether they can organize themselves and use existing mechanisms for the benefit of their own community. In addition, the state's ethnopolitical strategy provides bilateral cooperation with the homelands of individual minorities. The bilateral cooperation between Ukraine and Slovakia is one of the examples. Bilateral cooperation between Ukraine and the Slovak Republic in the field of protection and ensuring minority rights is based on the work of the Intergovernmental Slovak-Ukrainian Commission for National Minorities, Education and Culture. The recommendations of the commission are an important tool for constructive dialogue between Slovakia and Ukraine, ensuring good neighborly relations.

The study analyzed specifics of the Ukraine’s cooperation with the European Union within the framework of the Eastern Partnership and Visegrad Group. The authors of the research analyze the main stages of the formation of these relations, the basic problems of cooperation, the benefits, and prospects of partnership. The authors conclude that the Visegrad
The group is an important stabilizing element for Ukraine, which is interested in friendly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation in politics, economy and culture.

Keywords: EU, Visegrad, Eastern Partnership, associate membership, cooperation.

Кічера Н., Сурніна-Далекорей О. УКРАЇНА - ЄВРОПЕЙСЬКИЙ СОЮЗ: СПІВПРАЦЯ У ФОРМАТАХ «СХІДНОГО ПАРТНЕРСТВА» ТА «В4+»\ UKRAINE - EUROPEAN UNION: COOPERATION IN FORMATS OF «EASTERN PARTNERSHIP» AND «V4+» Україна - Європейський Союз: від партнерства до асоціації: Український Щорічник з Європейських Інте гр аційних Студій. Вип. ІІ - Луцьк, Терен, 2019. - 376 с.

Theoretical and methodological principles of the analysis of the subjectivity of ethnic communities in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe \ Theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of socio-political institutions and processes. Collective monograph.

The important principles of the effective functioning of the democratic model of ethnopolitics of any state are the definition of the national minorities' rights and freedoms. The Slovak Republic belongs to the countries with rather a high percentage of representatives of ethnic minorities. The Constitution of the Slovak Republic provides to national minorities and ethnic groups the right for developing their own culture, disseminate and receive information in their native language, communication with the authorities, unification in national associations, creation, and support of
own educational and cultural institutions.

Keywords: the Slovak Republic, ethnopolitics, constitution, national minority, ethnopolitical management.

ДЕРЖАВНА ПОЛІТИКА СЛОВАЦЬКОЇ РЕСПУБЛІКИ У СФЕРІ ЗАХИСТУ ПРАВ НАЦІОНАЛЬНИХ МЕНШИН: ГУМАНІТАРНИЙ ЗРІЗ (Колективна монографія) / Державна політика щодо захисту прав національних меншин: досвід країн Вишеградської групи. Колективна монографія. Львів: Видавництво “Сорока”, 2019. С. 131-140
[Kichera N. STATE POLICY OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC IN THE FIELD OF PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF NATIONAL MINORITIES: A HUMANITARIAN SECTION (Collective Monograph) In: State Policy on the Protection of the Rights of National Minorities: The Experience of the Visegrad Group Countries. Collective monograph. Lviv: Publishing House “Soroka”, 2019. P. 131-140].

Thesis to obtain the degree of Candidate of Political Science, specialty 23.00.02 –
Political Institutions and Processes. – Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University,
Chernivtsi, 2015.
This thesis presents research findings related to the Rusyn issue, Rusyn
identification, the political and legal status of the Rusyn community and the scope of its
influence on ethnic policy in Central and Southeastern European Countries such as
Slovakia, Serbia, Poland and Ukraine, according to the level of the community’s
political subjectivity.
There have been ascertained the major research areas of the subject matter, which
can be classified regarding the issue of Rusyn identification – as a part of the Ukrainian
ethnic group or a separate Slavic people. An integrated approach to the analysis of the
Rusyn phenomenon in ethnopolitics has been suggested. The appropriateness of using
ethno-political categories in the course of studying the Rusyn issue has been explicated.
Thereby we have arrived at a conclusion re Rusyns’ objective characteristics being
a subject of ethno-political studies, namely the classification of Rusyns as an ethnicity
and the phenomenon in Ethnopolitology, the contradictory issue of Rusyn identification,
their characteristics as a minority that must have the appropriate level of political
subjectivity. However, we can hardly speak about the latter because of the absence of
unity in the community and among the Rusyn elite in the first place.
Keywords: Rusyns, Lemkos, ethnic identity, ethnopolitics, national minority, ethnic
minority, ethnographic group, political subjectivity.

Thesis to obtain the degree of Candidate of Political Science, specialty 23.00.02 –
Political Institutions and Processes. – Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University,
Chernivtsi, 2015.
This thesis presents research findings related to the Rusyn issue, Rusyn
identification, the political and legal status of the Rusyn community and the scope of its
influence on ethnic policy in Central and Southeastern European Countries such as
Slovakia, Serbia, Poland and Ukraine, according to the level of the community’s
political subjectivity.
There have been ascertained the major research areas of the subject matter, which
can be classified regarding the issue of Rusyn identification – as a part of the Ukrainian
ethnic group or a separate Slavic people. An integrated approach to the analysis of the
Rusyn phenomenon in ethnopolitics has been suggested. The appropriateness of using
ethno-political categories in the course of studying the Rusyn issue has been explicated.
Thereby we have arrived at a conclusion re Rusyns’ objective characteristics being
a subject of ethno-political studies, namely the classification of Rusyns as an ethnicity
and the phenomenon in Ethnopolitology, the contradictory issue of Rusyn identification,
their characteristics as a minority that must have the appropriate level of political
subjectivity. However, we can hardly speak about the latter because of the absence of
unity in the community and among the Rusyn elite in the first place.
Keywords: Rusyns, Lemkos, ethnic identity, ethnopolitics, national minority, ethnic
minority, ethnographic group, political subjectivity.