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The article is devoted to the analysis of public administration in the field of national minorities rights protection. The author analyzes the system of authorities aimed at protecting the national minorities interests and nationalities in Ukraine. The Committee on Nationalities under the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine was the first ukrainian central state body of the executive power, entrusted with the functions of ensuring ethno-national policy and protecting the national minorities interests. It is emphasized that the structure of public authorities protecting the rights of national minorities was not limited exclusively to the activities of the specialized central executive body. The positions of Advisor to President on ethno-national problems of Crimea and Advisor to President on the affairs of the Ukrainian diaspora were introduced. At the regional (oblast) level, the Republican Committee for Nationalities and Deported Citizens of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea operates, as well as the relevant subdivisions at the local level – nationalities and migration departments of regional state administrations. The situation changed with the switch of the state policy vector from pro-Russian to pro-European. This was not least due to the recommendations of the OSCE and the need to converge with the acquis communautaire of the European Union. National minorities rights protection has been in focus since the independence of Ukraine. Establishing and functioning of the relevant Ministry (Committee) on National Minorities is a direct confirmation of this thesis. This issue was always in focus of the Ukrainian governments besides the period of the rule of the pro-Russian government (2010-2014), when most of the state institutions for the protection of national minorities were liquidated. This fact determined the revolutionary events of the Euromaidan (2014) to some extent. As of today, Ukraine fulfills its obligations regarding the protection of the national minorities rights. The current central authority (State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience, DESS) was formed in accordance with the recommendations of the OSCE and taking into account the experience of the EU member-states. Its status is lower in the executive power hierarchy. However, its scope of competence and its actual activity best serves the interests of the national minorities.
Oleksandr KOVALYSHYN (Sat,) studied this question.