Romania investigates closure of Romanian-language class in Odesa region

The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is investigating the closure of a first-grade class taught in the Romanian language in Cartal (Orlivka), located in the Odesa region of Ukraine. The class, which serves a community where ethnic Romanians reportedly make up nearly 100% of the population, was opened on September 1 following efforts by the Consulate General of Romania in Odesa but was closed just four days later.

Reports indicate that parents were encouraged to transfer their children to classes taught in the Ukrainian language. In response, the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has initiated inquiries in both Bucharest and Kyiv to clarify the situation and find a solution that allows for continued instruction in Romanian.

The Consulate General of Romania in Odesa has contacted local and regional authorities and is scheduled to conduct a second site visit on September 18 to discuss the matter with all involved parties. The Ministry emphasized that Romanian-language education remains a priority in bilateral discussions and noted that they are monitoring the protection of national minority rights as part of Ukraine’s process of adhering to the European Union.