To: Committee of Experts (the – “Committee”)
Council of Europe
European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages
DG II – Directorate of Human Rights and Anti-discrimination
Agora Building, 1 quai Jacoutot
F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex, France
Dear Committee Members,
Using this opportunity, please, let us avail ourselves.
We are writing to you based on Article 16(2) of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (the “Charter”). The following is to bring your attention to adoption by the Ukrainian Parliament of the Law of Ukraine “On the Basis of the State Policy on Languages” dated 3 July 2012 (the “Law on Languages”). According to the explanatory note to the Law on Languages, its purpose was to ensure implementation of this law in Ukraine. However, it appears that the real purpose behind the Law on Languages is to return to practice of imposing the Russian language usage throughout Ukraine. Continue reading
