Embassy of The Slovak Republic

Suite 380

2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20007

Dear Mr. Ambassador,

As one of 650,000 Rusyn-Americans, I am most concerned about the Slovak government's recent reproach to its Rusyn minority.

I and other Rusyn-Americans protest what appears to be a new attitude of repression of Rusyns in Slovakia. Among the recent actions which demonstrate this are:

• The refusal of the Slovak government to acknowledge the codification of the Rusyn language; to allow the sale or distribution of the new Rusyn-language textbooks; and to prepare teachers for and allow the teaching of the Rusyn language in Rusyn villages, 10 of which have already requested it.
• The Slovak government's refusal to allow the functioning of the Institute for Rusyn Language and Culture as a part of the Rusyn Renaissance Society.

• The Slovak government's delay in creating Rusyn-language radio in Presov, despite the promise of such years ago and in light of the fact that, in the last census, 50,000 people identified Rusyn as their native language while only 10,000 declared Ukrainian their mother tongue.

• The Slovak government's recent action of cutting the funding of the Rusyn Renaissance Society and its publications in half after they were already 5 months into the year.

I request that the Slovak government demonstrate itself as a democratic state by honoring its own constitution, which assures rights to all its minorities. Restore funding to the Rusyn Renaissance Society and its publications and proceed with the implementation of the Rusyn language in the schools and on the radio.

Sincerely,

Return to text