The latest reports of a fatal night attack on the Roma population in the Lviv region caused horror and indignation. This is not the first case of crimes against the Roma community on the basis of hatred, but this time its consequence was the loss of human life - a life that is of greatest value and is the basis of all other human rights.

We join the statement of the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine and the Secretariat of the Interdepartmental Working Group on the implementation of the plan of measures for implementation of the Strategy for the Protection and Integration in the Ukrainian Society of Roma National Minorities for the period of up to 2020, and we believe that the latest attack on representatives of the Roma community should be considered immediately on a meeting of this working group with participation of law enforcement officials.

Recent reports by the National Police about the arrest of suspects in the involvement in the attack, its organizers, and the direct control of the investigation under the leadership of the National Police and the Ministry of Internal Affairs give reason to hope that these actions with signs of crime will not remain unpunished.

Establishing the truth and bringing to justice the perpetrators of crimes is what the Ukrainian society is so urgently needs today. It is also an important part of the international legal obligations of Ukraine under many international treaties of our country - starting with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. Confirmation of this commitment is a matter of honour for a country that has been protecting its right to democratic values in fighting Russian military aggression for almost five years.

It is regrettable to note that in recent years, anti-migrant, anti-Romanian attitudes have intensified in Europe, which in particular results in discrimination, persecution and hate crimes against Roma communities and individual members of this people. Reports from reputable international organizations record the fact that the Roma continue to suffer from the inability to provide their basic needs and rights. Unfortunately, Ukraine is not an exception, and, consequently, we must actively work on developing a real pan-European policy to overcome these negative trends and we must become part of it.

Ukraine faces many challenges today, but overcoming discrimination against the Roma, eliminating the root-causes of such discrimination and as, a consequence, of violence on the basis of nationality is an extremely important and urgent task for the Ukrainian State.