This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/25/ukraine-adopts-law-enforcing-use-of-ukrainian-in-public-life

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Ukraine adopts law enforcing use of Ukrainian in public life Ukraine adopts language law opposed by Kremlin
(32 minutes later)
Ukraine’s parliament has adopted a new law that will require the use of Ukrainian language in most aspects of public life, a decision that supporters say will strengthen national identity but that critics contend could disenfranchise the country’s native Russian speakers. Ukraine’s parliament has adopted a law that will require the use of the Ukrainian language in most aspects of public life, a decision supporters say will strengthen national identity but that critics contend could disenfranchise the country’s native Russian speakers.
The law, which passed with a majority of 278-38, will require that all Ukrainian citizens know the state language and that it be used while performing official duties. Those subject to the requirement will include politicians, judges, doctors, employees of the national bank and state-owned companies, officers in the military, teachers, and others. The law, which passed with a 278-38 majority, will require all Ukrainian citizens to know the state language and that it be used while performing official duties. Those subject to the latter requirement will include politicians, judges, doctors, employees of the national bank and state-owned companies, officers in the military, teachers and others.
The new law also requires that 90 percent of TV and film content be in Ukrainian and for Ukrainian-language printed media and books to make up at least 50 percent of the total. The new law also requires that 90% of TV and film content be in Ukrainian and for Ukrainian-language printed media and books to make up at least 50% of the total output.
Exclusions include private communications and religious ceremonies. The law would allow some providers of health services and law enforcement to use other languages, like Russian, by mutual agreement. There are exemptions for private communications and religious ceremonies. The law would allow some providers of health services and law enforcement to use other languages, such as Russian, by mutual agreement.
The bill was championed by Petro Poroshenko, the outgoing president who campaigned on a patriotic platform of his support for the army, an independent Ukrainianchurch, and his support for the Ukrainian language. The bill was championed by Petro Poroshenko, the outgoing president who campaigned on a patriotic platform, proclaiming his support for the army, an independent Ukrainianchurch, and the Ukrainian language.
The vote was met with cheers in the Rada, as lawmakers snapped selfies and shouted “glory to Ukraine,” before breaking into a rendition of the country’s national anthem. The vote was met with cheers in the Rada, as politicians snapped selfies and shouted “glory to Ukraine”, before breaking into a rendition of the country’s national anthem.
“This is one more important step on the path to our independence,” Poroshenko wrote in a post on Facebook after the vote.
Russia tests Ukraine's new president with passports for breakaway regionsRussia tests Ukraine's new president with passports for breakaway regions
The bill was passed one day after Russia allowed residents of separatist territories in east Ukraine to apply for passports, a move seen in Kyiv as a Russian gambit to further integrate those territories into Russia. The United States called the move an intensification of the “assault on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” and president-elect Volodymyr Zelenskiy said it confirmed Russia’s position as an “aggressor state.” “This is one more important step on the path to our independence,” Poroshenko wrote in a post on Facebook after the vote.
The Kremlin has been a vocal critic of Ukraine’s plans to pass laws on language and pundits on Russian television have claimed incorrectly that the country wants to ban Russian outright. Speaking on Thursday, Vladimir Putin presented Poroshenko’s landslide defeat as a “complete fiasco for Poroshenko’s policy.” The bill was passed one day after Russia allowed residents of separatist territories in east Ukraine to apply for passports, a move seen in Kyiv as a gambit by Moscow to further integrate those territories into Russia. The US called the move an intensification of the “assault on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” and the president-elect, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said it confirmed Russia’s position as an “aggressor state”.
Donbass: true lies from the Ukrainian frontline The Kremlin has been a vocal critic of Ukraine’s plans to pass laws on language, and pundits on Russian television have claimed incorrectly that the country wants to ban Russian outright. Speaking on Thursday, Vladimir Putin presented Poroshenko’s landslide defeat as a “complete fiasco for Poroshenko’s policy”.
The use of Russian by Ukrainian officials has become increasingly controversial since Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and its support for separatists in the country’s southeast, one of the regions where Russian is predominantly spoken. A controversial decision by the city of Lviv last year to place a “moratorium” on Russian-language books, films and songs was struck down by a court in January. The use of Russian by Ukrainian officials has become increasingly contentious since Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and its support for separatists in the country’s south-east, one of the regions where Russian is predominantly spoken. A decision by the city of Lviv last year to place a “moratorium” on Russian-language books, films and songs was struck down by a court in January.
And the national effort to legislate the use of Ukrainian has met with other criticism. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in October wrote that a draft version of the law raised “serious concerns as to the compatibility of certain regulations with international human rights standards, particularly in respect to language proficiency requirements for accessing public office.”
Volodymyr Zelenskiy: things get serious for Ukraine's Servant of the PeopleVolodymyr Zelenskiy: things get serious for Ukraine's Servant of the People
Zelenskiy, who won a landslide victory over Poroshenko in Sunday’s presidential elections, speaks Russian natively and has spoken publicly about his efforts to improve his Ukrainian. The national effort to legislate for the use of Ukrainian has also been criticised internationally. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights wrote in October that a draft version of the law raised “serious concerns as to the compatibility of certain regulations with international human rights standards, particularly in respect to language proficiency requirements for accessing public office”.
Zelenskiy has avoided speaking out against the law, but on Thursday said that when he becomes president, he will “make a careful analysis of this law to ensure that it respects the constitutional rights and interests of all the citizens of Ukraine.” Zelenskiy, who won a landslide victory over Poroshenko in the presidential election on Sunday, speaks Russian natively and has spoken publicly about his efforts to improve his Ukrainian.
In March, the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology published findings that 28.1% of Ukrainians speak mostly or only Russian with their families, including 15.8% who exclusively speak Russian. That compared with 46% who speak mostly or only Ukrainian with their families, and 24.9% who speak the two languages in equal proportion. Zelenskiy has avoided speaking out against the law. But on Thursday he said that when he was sworn in he would “make a careful analysis of this law to ensure that it respects the constitutional rights and interests of all the citizens of Ukraine”.
In March, the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology published findings that 28.1% of Ukrainians spoke mostly or only Russian with their families, including 15.8% who exclusively spoke Russian. That compared with 46% who spoke mostly or only Ukrainian with their families, and 24.9% who spoke the two languages in equal proportion.
UkraineUkraine
RussiaRussia
Volodymyr Zelenskiy
Petro PoroshenkoPetro Poroshenko
EuropeEurope
newsnews
Share on FacebookShare on Facebook
Share on TwitterShare on Twitter
Share via EmailShare via Email
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn
Share on PinterestShare on Pinterest
Share on WhatsAppShare on WhatsApp
Share on MessengerShare on Messenger
Reuse this contentReuse this content