You're reading: Lytvyn warns Yanukovych of possible language bill negative consequences

Verkhovna Rada Chairman Volodymyr Lytvyn has sent a letter to Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych to express his position on the bill on the principles of state language policy.

A posting on the Web site of the Ukrainian parliament reads that the
speaker suggested developing a national program for the development of
Ukrainian language and passing a law on the development and use of
languages in Ukraine.

Lytvyn also “expressed his concern and his position on the issue, in
particular regarding the obvious legal flaws of the bill and its
possible consequences.”

Among the possible negative consequences of the implementation of the
bill, the speaker mentioned “constant political arguments, the erasing
of the legal status of the state, the actual prevailing of Russian
language, and the alleged expansion of the rights of representatives of
other nationalities.”

Lytvyn also stressed that the document should be studied in details
to check whether it is in line with the European Charter for Regional
and Minority Languages.

The speaker also noted that on July 30 he registered in parliament a
relevant bill containing his proposals. According to him, the approval
of his bill could help eliminate many conflicts.

As reported, Verkhovna Rada Chairman Volodymyr Lytvyn signed the bill
on the principles of the state language policy on July 31. The document
has been sent to Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych for signature.