Ukraine: Yushchenko Against Making Russian the 2nd State Language

[Harold Schiffman]

Dec. 28, 2007
Yushchenko Against Making Russian the 2nd State Language

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko opposes assigning the state
language status to the Russian language. Yushchenko made the
respective statement during the news conference held in Kiev on
Thursday. Asked by reporter how he would vote on the referendum for
making Russian the second state language, the president said: "I would
vote 'no' of course, as I refer myself to the citizens that respect
provisions of the current Constitution, which spells out that there is
a single state language in Ukraine and this language is Ukrainian."
"Every state and every nation acts accordingly," Yushchenko pointed
out.

At the same time, Yushchenko emphasized that, in Ukraine, they respect
the rights of all national minorities, the principles of the European
Charter for regional languages and for languages of national
minorities. The country pursues a liberal language policy that
corresponds to Europe's standards, the president assured.

http://www.kommersant.com/p-11834/Ukraine_Russian_language/
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