Kyiv To Challenge Moves To Elevate Russian Language

[Harold F. Schiffman]

Friday, April 28, 2006

Kyiv To Challenge Moves To Elevate Russian Language

(RFE/RL)

April 28, 2006 -- President Viktor Yushchenko has asked Ukraine's Justice
Ministry and the Prosecutor-General's Office to look into the legality of
recent local-government decisions granting Russian the status of a
regional language. So far, two local administrations -- the eastern region
of Luhansk and the city of Sevastopol, in the Crimea -- have tried to
elevate the status of Russian. Both regions have a predominantly
Russian-speaking population.

Yushchenko's deputy chief-of-staff, Anatoliy Matviyenko, said on April 28
that the moves breach Ukraine's constitution, which states that Ukrainian
is the sole state language. The status of the Russian language has become
one of the most politically divisive issues in Ukraine. The pro-Moscow
Party of Regions, which won the most votes in last month's parliamentary
election, campaigned on a promise to make Russian a second state language.

(Interfax-Ukrayina, Ukraiynska pravda)

http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/04/67bc229c-704f-4259-9e65-f880993d6e40.html