The Verkhovna Rada adopted the law “On ensuring the functioning of the Ukrainian language as a state language”, which enshrines its exclusive rights to other languages ​​in the country. 278 parliamentarians voted in favor of the minimum required 226. Now the document will be sent to Perth Poroshenko’s signature and take effect two months after its publication in the official press.

The current president, Petro Poroshenko, called the decision of the Ukrainian deputies historic.

“Ukrainian language is a symbol of our people, our state and our nation. And I am grateful to everyone who participated in the development, preparation and implementation of the language law, to the people's deputies for the votes “for”, to all Ukrainians for their support, ”Poroshenko wrote on his Facebook page.

Meanwhile, the elected president of Ukraine, Vladimir Zelensky, said that the law on the exclusive use of the Ukrainian language "became a hostage" of political rhetoric and was adopted without sufficient discussion with the public.

“After my inauguration of the presidency, a thorough analysis of this law will be done to ensure that all constitutional rights and interests of all citizens of Ukraine are respected in it,” Zelensky quoted his press office.

He also noted that he would make decisions based on the constitutional powers of the president and in the interests of citizens.

The law passed by the Rada continues the course of tough Ukrainization, which Petro Poroshenko had earlier proclaimed as one of the tenets of his program, Bogdan Bezpalko, member of the Council on Interethnic Relations under the President of Russia, said in a conversation with RT

“Of course, this is a discriminatory law, which implies punitive measures. If it comes into force, it will greatly affect the literacy of the population of Ukraine and greatly impoverish it culturally. In addition, it will cause discontent, because most people in Ukraine consider Russian as their native language, ”Bezpalko said.

After the adoption of the law, the deputies of the Verkhovna Rada registered two resolutions on its abolition. The initiators of the first were the deputies Vadim Novinsky and Alexander Vilkul, and the second by Yury Boyko and a group of five parliamentarians.

Recall, the Parliament passed the bill in the first reading in the autumn of last year. By the second reading, the deputies proposed about 2.5 thousand amendments.

  • President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko
  • Reuters
  • © Vasily Fedosenko

"Violates the Constitution of Ukraine"

According to the document, the Ukrainian language is recognized as the only possible application in almost all areas of the country's life.

The Ukrainian language should be mandatory used by officials not only during official events, but also when communicating with colleagues. The law even provides for the use of computer-based versions of software in Ukrainian by government officials.

The use of Ukrainian will also become mandatory in the army, law enforcement agencies, advertising messages, during the election campaign, during referendums and during the trial.

The implementation of the law will be monitored by a special “linguistic commission”, as well as by the representative for the protection of the Ukrainian language. The so-called language inspectors will have the right to attend meetings of any state bodies, request documents from public organizations and political parties, and also set fines: the maximum bar is 11.9 thousand hryvnias ($ 450).

The language standards will be developed and approved by the National State Language Standards Commission. In addition, its functions will include the development of methods for checking the level of knowledge of the Ukrainian language. Knowledge will be assessed from applicants for citizenship, from those planning to occupy the posts of president, prime minister, members of the cabinet of ministers and deputies, as well as teachers, medical workers, lawyers and notaries.

By adopting such a law, Kiev violates not only its international obligations, but also the Basic Law of Ukraine, believes Rostislav Ischenko, the president of the Center for System Analysis and Forecasting.

“First of all, the law is a violation of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. The Ukrainian constitution provides for the ratification of the relevant agreement, which has priority over national legislation. Therefore, the adopted law violates the Constitution of Ukraine, ”Ischenko said in an interview with RT.

According to him, “language inspectors” in Ukraine appeared long ago, but now their activities will be fixed by law.

“Those rules that were introduced in Ukraine a long time and gradually, and in recent years acted de facto, were legally enforced. Because everything that is described in the law, including the work of "language inspectors", was carried out before. For example, the former deputy Igor Miroshnichenko and the writer Larisa Nitsoy organized scandals wherever they communicated with them in Russian, ”the expert said.

The law has a lot of controversial points that can lead to conflicts in the future, the source of RT in the self-help party said.

“This is the introduction of the post of the so-called“ language ombudsman ”and huge fines for not wanting to use their native language, which will take effect after three years. Now it is not clear how all these norms will act, but it is obvious that the process of forced Ukrainization of the population is underway. The new generation should speak Ukrainian and English and not know the Russian language. In my opinion, this can lead to a big confrontation in the east and south of the country, where the population practically does not know Ukrainian, ”the interlocutor emphasizes RT.

"Gift" for Zelensky

As the representative of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc party noted in a conversation with RT, if Poroshenko signs the law on the exclusivity of the Ukrainian language, he will “create additional problems” for the elected president of Ukraine.

“Firstly, Zelensky himself does not know the Ukrainian language and, as soon as possible, switches to Russian. Secondly, it will aggravate relations with Hungary, Romania and Poland, which protect languages ​​of national minorities. Thirdly, a business that is simply not ready for new work rules will come against it. Where to get the waiters in restaurants, vendors in stores that quickly learn Ukrainian. I'm not even talking about the fact that the majority of the country's population will watch Russian television over the Internet. Zelensky planted "bomb", and how it will get out - it is not clear, "- he said.

  • Vladimir Zelensky
  • Reuters
  • © Viacheslav Ratynskyi

According to him, Vladimir Zelensky is pushed to the idea that any negotiations with Russia are now impossible.

“This law is more directed against Russia. Zelensky will not be able to cancel it, because then he will have to deal with furious nationalists. It is for this reason that Western partners called for the approval of this document to be postponed, probably in order not to restrict the rights of other languages. But the desire to “annoy” the new president is so great that no one pays attention to reasonable offers, ”the source of the RT Radical Party notes.

Poroshenko can "play" on Zelensky’s attempt to reject the law on the exclusivity of the Ukrainian language if he finds himself in the Ukrainian parliament, Bogdan Bezpalko believes.

“Voters expect from Zelensky that he will roll the policy of Ukrainization. However, the elected president of Ukraine will have to overcome opposition from the parliament, which is clearly disloyal to him, and will also call him an enemy of Ukraine and an agent of the Kremlin, ”Bezpalko stated.

“To be Russian in Ukraine is the same as being on sight”

The adoption of the law reacted in the State Duma of Russia.

"The Verkhovna Rada honors the outgoing Poroshenko and prepared a disservice to President Zelensky, because there are no other problems in the country except to take care of the exclusiveness of the state language," said State Duma deputy from the Republic of Crimea Ruslan Balbek in an interview with RT.

“At the peak of popularity today - the uniqueness of the Ukrainian language, the titular nation and the persecution of the Russian-speaking population. Today in Ukraine, being Russian, speaking in Russian, observing Russian traditions is the same as being on the sights, ”stated Balbek.

According to Bogdan Bezpalko, the law on the exclusivity of the Ukrainian language will further worsen relations between Kiev and Moscow.

“In Ukraine, an anti-Russian propaganda hysteria will flare up even more among those public figures and officials who have pursued such a policy for the past five years,” Bezpalko said.

The draft law on the exclusivity of the Ukrainian language caused a resonance not only in Ukraine, but also abroad.

Thus, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Dunja Mijatovic asked the Rada deputies to suspend work on the law during the election period and to ensure the participation of representatives of national minorities in its development.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Russian side was concerned about violations of the language and educational rights of national minorities by Kiev. Moscow sent relevant appeals to the EU, the Council of Europe, the OSCE and NATO.

According to Rostislav Ishchenko, only certain European countries that have their national minorities on the territory of the state will react to the adoption of such a law.

“For example, Hungary, which was in a difficult relationship with Ukraine, precisely because of linguistic legislation. Relations between Budapest and Kiev on this background are now becoming even more aggravated. Obviously, the reaction will come from Poland, Romania - everything else in Europe will be by and large indifferent, ”the expert said.

Meanwhile, Hungary has already responded to the adoption of the law on language by the Verkhovna Rada.

Foreign Minister Peter Siyarto called the document unacceptable and violating the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine. This is reported by the portal Hirado. According to Siyyarto, this law is a continuation of the anti-Hungarian policy of Petro Poroshenko. At the same time, the minister expressed the hope that with the new president of Ukraine the situation would change for the better.

“We hope that, on the basis of mutual respect and the desire to find a solution, we will be able to clarify the situation with laws affecting the rights of the Hungarian community, with a new, overwhelmingly elected president,” said Siyarto.

Europe will silently observe how Ukraine once again violates their European charter, which it has previously ratified, Bogdan Bezpalko believes.

"Europe will not react, as the double standards are firmly sewn into its foreign policy," the expert concluded.