September 2006

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THE UKRANIAN GOVERNMENT TAKES MEASURES TO RECOGNIZE RUSSIAN

September 2006 - A press release distributed during a meeting of the Ukranian Government promises to make Russian the second state language in Ukraine. The measures for its recognition are included in a program being developed by the Cabinet as part of the government activities to be carried out from 2006 to 2011.

The humanitarian policy section of the draft program says that the Government will carry out a consistent policy to uphold the freedom of choice of communication and education language and therefore will recognize Russian as the second language of the state. The policy also envisages removing obstacles in the way of the development of all cultures and the rendering of assistance in maintaining national, cultural, linguistic and spiritual variety as a guarantee of the further development of the society.

The decision has come after the pro-Moscow Party of Regions led by Viktor Yanukovych won the general elections last March. As Mercator Legislation informed in previous months, the Party of Regions campaigned -specially in the eastern part of the country where a majority of Russian-speaking population live- on a promise to make Russian a second state language.