INTERNATIONAL LEGAL MECHANISM FOR THE PROTECTION OF NATIONAL MINORITIES: FROM THE ORIGINS TO THE PRESENT TIMES

Abstract

The article analyzes the formation and development of an international institute for the protection of the rights of national minorities, focusing on the role of the League of Nations in this field. The provisions of universal acts adopted under the auspices of the United Nations, in particular, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966, the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities of 1992, are disclosed. The following international regional acts are described: the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages of 5 November 1992, Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, 1995, the Document of the Copenhagen Meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE of 1990, European Security Charter of 1999, the Oslo Recommendations Regarding the Linguistic Rights of National Minorities of 1998, the Lund Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in the Political and Political Life of 1999, Recommendations Promoting the Participation of National Minorities in the Electoral Process of 2001, Recommendations on the Use of Minority Languages in Broadcasting of 2003, Recommendations on Policing in a Multinational Society of 2006, Bolzano/Bozen Recommendations on National Minorities in Inter-State Relations of 2008, The Ljubljana Guidelines on Integration of Diverse Societies of 2012, the Graz Recommendations on Access to Justice and National Minorities of 2017; their key provisions and role in protecting national minorities are identified. Considering the fact that at the international universal and regional level institutional bodies and officials are responsible for protecting the rights of national minorities, the powers of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities and the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on minority issues have been disclosed. The focus is also on the Minority Forum, which serves as a platform to encourage dialogue and cooperation on issues relating to persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities. The relevant conclusions are drawn.