On May 26 – 28, 2015 Grigorij Mesežnikov participated in series of discussion events, conducted in the framework of European Café project, implemented in Moldova by the Slovak Atlantic Commission with support of the International Visegrad Fund. The topic of discussion included policies and experience of Central European countries, members of the EU, in the area of inter-ethnic relations and minority rights. Discussions were held in Comrat, the administrative center of Gagauzia autonomy, in Cunicea, the village mostly inhabited by ethnic Russians – Old Believers and in Dolinnoe, village with a population of Ukrainian origin. Tomasz Wicherkiewicz from Adam Mickiewicz University (Poznaň) and Marina Šupák from Moldovan information-analytical portal NewsMaker.md participated in discussions too. In Cunicea and Dolinnoe discussions were chaired by Andrei Panici (Debate Association of Moldova), in Comrat – by Iulia Kirnitki (Debate Association of Moldova). The debate in Comrat was attended by the Ambassador of Hungary in Moldova Matyas Szilagyi.
During the discussions, experts touched upon the standards and principles applied in the EU member states in the areas of application of the rights of citizens belonging to ethnic minorities (use of mother tongue, education, culture, regional development). They also answered the questions about substantial characteristics of the integration process, the results of socio-economic development of Slovakia, Poland and other Central European countries during the first decade of their membership in the EU.
Visit of Central European experts to Moldova generated considerable interest of local media.
Reports on three debates:
Discussion in Comrat (NewsMaker.md)
Discussion in Cunicea (NewsMaker.md)
Discussion in Dolinnoe (NewsMaker.md)
Interviews:
Interview with Grigorij Mesežnikov (Radio Europa Liberă)
Grigorij Mesežnikov in TV discussion (Publika TV)
Interview with G. Mesežnikov and T. Wicherkiewicz (NewsMaker.md)
Interview with G. Mesežnikov and T. Wicherkiewicz (kp.md)
Interview with G. Mesežnikov and T. Wicherkiewicz (ukrinform.ua)
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