You're reading: Ukrainian World Congress condemns passing of language bill

The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) condemns "the so-called adoption" of the bill on the principles of state language policy, and calls on the Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych not to sign the document.

A statement published on the Web site of the UWC reads that the
passing of the language bill by the Verkhovna Rada is “another glaring
example of the gradual abandonment by the governing authorities of the
democratic principles of governance.”

The language bill poses a serious threat to the future development of
the Ukrainian language and raises doubts about its role as the sole
state language of Ukraine, reads the statement.

According to UWC, the document contradicts that Constitution of
Ukraine, the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and the
Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, which
provide that regional languages and the languages of minorities should
not be promoted at the expense of the state language.

“The draft law, and earlier drafts, were repeatedly criticized by a
broad spectrum of the Ukrainian public and prominent international
institutions, including the OSCE High Commissioner on National
Minorities and the European Commission for Democracy Through Law (Venice
Commission),” reads the statement of the congress.

The UWC is deeply disturbed by these troubling events and appeals to
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych to refrain from signing this bill
on the language issue.

The UWC also calls upon the international Ukrainian community to
express solidarity with Ukrainians in defense of the Ukrainian language
and fundamental democratic principles in Ukraine.