CONSTITUTIONAL ASPECTS OF THE POLICY OF THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE PRESOV REGION (1945 - 1951)

In the period of 1945-1948 the Ukrainian and Ruthenian minority was the only national minority that had its national-political representative body, a certain cultural autonomy and a significant representation within local and district boards of representatives. The Ukrainian national council (Prjascevscina) was the national representative body of Ruthenians and Ukrainians in Slovakia. In spite of the fact that its political status was never determined and codified in the political system, de facto it was an institution respected by not only Ruthenians and Ukrainians but also by the highest state bodies. Till the elections in 1946 it had its deputies in the Temporary National Assembly and in the Slovak National Council and also after the elections it struggled to influence the activities of Members of Parliament and members of the Slovak National Council. It had formulated the demands of Ruthenians and Ukrainians and insisted on legalization of existing minority institutions and on the constitutional codification of Ukrainian minority rights, but did not succeed.