Ukraine adopts European integration law on national minorities with restrictions on Russian language
Photo: Law on National Minorities has been adopted by the Rada (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has approved changes to the law "On National Minorities (Communities) of Ukraine." In areas where national minorities reside in compact communities, public events and advertising in the languages of these minorities are permitted (except for Russian), according to MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak.
As stated in the explanatory note to draft law No. 9610, in June, the Venice Commission published its opinion on the law adopted in December 2022, which included observations mostly aimed at aligning certain provisions with the European Convention on Human Rights of 1950, the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities of 1995, and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages of 1992.
"The introduction of corresponding changes to the legislation will also allow the state to fulfill an important recommendation of the European Commission in the context of Ukraine acquiring the status of a full member of the European Union," the explanatory note reads.
Key innovations of the law
The law provides an updated definition of the term "national minorities (communities)," based on an inclusive approach and in accordance with the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities of 1995.
According to the law:
"A national minority (community) of Ukraine is a stable group of citizens of Ukraine who are not ethnic Ukrainians, reside within the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine, are united by common ethnic, cultural, historical, linguistic, and/or religious characteristics, identify themselves as such, and express a desire to preserve and develop their linguistic, cultural, and religious identity."
According to the law, public events (gatherings, conferences, meetings, exhibitions, educational courses, seminars, training sessions, discussions, forums, and other public events) organized for individuals belonging to national minorities (communities) can be conducted in the languages of those national minorities (communities).
Cultural, artistic, entertainment, or spectacle events organized and conducted by individuals belonging to a national minority (community) can be conducted in the language of the corresponding national minority (community).
Additionally, in populated areas where persons belonging to national minorities traditionally reside, the dissemination of internal and external advertising, as well as advertising in local audio and audiovisual media, can be carried out in the state language and the languages of the respective national minorities.
These provisions do not apply to the state (official) language of the aggressor state or occupying state, as recognized by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, namely the Russian language.
