The Language Issue

On September 4, 2018, deputies adopted as a basis a new draft law on language. The document recognises Ukrainian as the only state language in Ukraine.

The draft law guarantees the right to receive education in the state language. What's more, you will have the right to be served in Ukrainian without fail. All civil servants will be obliged to speak the state language, and in order to remain in office they will need to pass a Ukrainian language exam. The Ukrainian language will be everywhere – in public space, in the state and municipal sectors, in the service sector, in signs and in the labelling of goods and services. All media and websites will be able to publish in several languages, but first and foremost in Ukrainian.

However, in everyday life, no one will force you to speak Ukrainian or write social media posts only in the state language. This draft law does not concern private life or religious rites.

As for national minorities, the state guarantees all citizens belonging to national minorities and indigenous peoples the right to study in the language of the national minority or the respective indigenous people alongside Ukrainian.