Buzhansky is the co-author of the bill №3077-1

Photo: A Servant Of The People / Facebook

In the Verkhovna Rada on February 17-18, there were two bills that propose to extend the use of minority languages in the education system. Their co-authors were three members from the “Opposition platform For life” and representative of “public Servants” Maxim Buzhansky.

Bill No. 3077 filed by the representatives of the faction “the Opposition platform For life,” Nestor Shufrich and Vasily Nimchenko. MPs propose to amend article 7 of the law on education, which is devoted to language.

In particular, section 1 of article 7 of the law, which States that the language of the educational process in educational institutions is the state language, Shufrich and Nimchenko propose to add the sentence: “as well As the regional language or minority language, if the educational institutions located on the territories on which the common regional language or minority language and the decision of the relevant local Council apply measures aimed at the use of regional or minority languages”.

MPs propose to remove from the law the norm that national minorities can study in their native language in private classes or groups. Instead Shufrich and Nimchenko want to include that the state guarantees every citizen the right to receive any education in the national minority language in state and communal educational establishments if they are located in the territory where the language is spoken by a minority.

In an explanatory note the MPs said that some provisions of the law on education is discriminative. They pointed out that this law was criticized in Hungary and Romania.

“Based on the fact that only free development and equality of all national languages, the high linguistic culture are the basis of spiritual understanding, cultural enrichment and consolidation of the society, the bill will ensure the protection of the linguistic rights of national minorities, will help to remove tension in society, which caused the adoption of the law” – believe Nimchenko and Shufrich.

Co-authors of the alternative draft law No. 3077-1 are Buzhansky and people’s Deputy from “Oppositional platform For life” Oleg Voloshin. They are also in favor of amending article 7 of the law on education. In particular, in section 1 of article 7 of the law they propose to prescribe that the state guarantees every citizen the right to education in the state language and on education in the languages of indigenous peoples or national minorities.

Section 3 of article 7, which stipulates that the state promotes the study of the state and municipal educational institutions of an international language, primarily the English language, deputies suggest to add “and the Russian language.”

In addition, they advocate the inclusion in law of provisions concerning the right of citizens with hearing impairment to learn sign-language of national minorities.

In an explanatory note the MPs said that after changes to the law, Ukraine will be able to implement the recommendations of the Venice Commission and to ensure the rights of national minorities.

In September 2017 Rada adopted the law “On education”, which, in particular, has expanded the use of the state language in school. It entered into force on 28 September 2017.

The constitutional Court in 2019 acknowledged the language article of the law unconstitutional.

After the adoption of the law Hungary, Romania and several other countries expressed concern about the future of national minorities in Ukraine. The document was sent for examination to the Venice Commission, which formulated the conclusions at the end of 2017. Kiev has offered to amend the 7th article of non-discrimination training non-state languages that are not official in the European Union. Including it was about teaching in a secondary school in Russian. The Commission did not insist on the revision of articles of the law, but recommended that Ukraine take measures to prevent discrimination of minority languages.

The EU has said that Kiev should take into account recommendations of the Venice Commission.