The government proposes to exclude Russian and Belarusian from the list of languages ​​subject to protection in Ukraine

On December 24, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a draft law proposing to update the list of languages ​​to which the regime of support and special protection provided for by the European Charter will be applied, the representative of the government in the Verkhovna Rada, Taras Melnychuk, said.

This is provided for by the draft law “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine in Connection with the Update of the Official Translation of the European Charter of Regional or Minority Languages.”

The draft law proposes to replace the words “European Charter of Regional or Minority Languages” with the words “European Charter of Regional or Minority Languages”. It is also proposed to update the list of languages ​​to which the appropriate regime of support and special protection provided for by the Charter will be applied.

The provisions of the charter, which was ratified in 2003, currently apply to the following languages: Belarusian, Bulgarian, Gagauz, Greek, Hebrew, Crimean Tatar, Moldovan, German, Polish, Russian, Romanian, Slovak and Hungarian. Thus, Belarusian and Russian languages ​​are excluded from the list.

In order to make a decision, the draft law must be considered by the Verkhovna Rada.

The European Charter of Regional and Minority Languages ​​is one of the two legislative acts of the Council of Europe aimed at protecting the rights of national and ethnic minorities.