Verkhovna Rada adopts language law
The Verkhovna Rada has adopted the bill No. 5670-d on ensuring the functioning of Ukrainian as a state language.
As reported by Censor.NET.
278 deputies voted for the law No. 5670-d.
The law says that its action does not apply to the sphere of private communication and the implementation of religious rites.
The document was adopted with amendments, voiced by the MP from the "Narodnyi Front", the head of the parliamentary committee on culture and spirituality Mykola Knyazhytskyi under the transcript.
Before the final vote, the MPs agreed on amendments to the draft law. The final document, as amended, was prepared by the parliamentary committee on culture and spirituality, the text was distributed to deputies.
"The Ukrainian language, along with the flag, emblem and anthem, is one of the symbols of the Ukrainian state. Knowledge of the state language and its use by officials and officers of state authorities and local governments is one of the prerequisites for occupying relevant positions. Citizens of Ukraine should possess Ukrainian as the language of citizenship and use it in the areas of public communication. Knowledge of the Ukrainian language is a prerequisite for acquiring citizenship .Each Ukrainian citizen is free to choose the language or languages in private communication," the explanatory note to the document states.
The final version of the law will be available after publication.
The document provides for the adoption in six months of the legislation on the languages of national minorities and indigenous peoples.
To obtain Ukrainian citizenship, you must confirm the "appropriate level" of knowledge of the Ukrainian language. The required level will be set by the National Commission for Standards of the State Language.
This requirement does not apply to foreigners and stateless persons who serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and have state awards, as well as those whose citizenship is of public interest to Ukraine.
The law also determines the classification of levels of proficiency in the Ukrainian language, and a three-level scale and certificate levels are provided that confirm the appropriate degree of proficiency in the language.
Officials of all levels, judges, law enforcement officers, contract servicemen, employees of education, medical sphere, officials of state and municipal enterprises, lawyers, and notaries will have to speak Ukrainian.
The language of the educational process will be Ukrainian, but the state will promote the study of languages of international communication, primarily English.
At the same time, the right to representatives of national minorities and indigenous peoples in primary classes and kindergartens of communal property to learn the appropriate language along with the state language is guaranteed.
The state will also ensure the use of the state language in the field of culture.
The language of television and radio broadcasting will be Ukrainian.
The share of broadcasting in Ukrainian should be at least 90% of the total duration of programs and films, their parts in each period between 7:00 and 18:00 and between 18:00 and 22:00.
For local TV and radio companies, broadcasting in other languages should not exceed 20%.
The bill also provides the obligation for publishers to publish in the Ukrainian language at least 50% of all books during the year.
Computer programs with a user interface installed on products that are implemented in Ukraine will need to have a user interface in the Ukrainian language that will contain no less information than foreign versions of such an interface.
The service sector, according to the law, will work in the Ukrainian language. However, at the request of the client, his personal service is possible in a different language. The situation is similar with the health sector.
The law also determines the procedure for the formation and functioning of the National Commission for Standards of the State Language.
The appropriate representative will be responsible for protecting the state language, who will be appointed and dismissed by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
The law, with the exception of certain of its provisions, will enter into force two months after publication.
Feb. 28, 2018, the Constitutional Court of Ukraine declared unconstitutional the July 3, 2012 law on the principles of the state language policy (the so-called law of Kolesnichenko-Kivalov) because of violations of the procedure of its adoption by people's deputies. The law, in particular, provided for the possibility of official bilingualism in regions where the number of national minorities exceeded 10%.
The bill 5670-d on ensuring the functioning of Ukrainian as a state language was registered on June 9, 2017. The bill was supported by Deputy Prime Ministers Pavlo Rozenko and Viacheslav Kyrylenko, Culture Minister Yevhen Nyshchuk, and Verkhovna Rada Chairman Andrii Parubii.
