Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed the law on national minorities, which is necessary for the further European integration of Ukraine, while, according to the document, the rights of national minorities may be limited “in the interests of national security.”
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Since 2019, the European Union has demanded that Ukrainian norms be reworked to fit EU standards for the protection of national minorities. These demands arose in connection with the Ukrainization policy, which narrowed the linguistic rights, primarily of Russians, but also of other minorities too.
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The Verkhovna Rada adopted a law on national minorities in early December. According to the data on the website of the Rada, it has already been signed by Zelensky.
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The bill prohibits discrimination against national minorities and guarantees equal “civil, political, social, economic, cultural and linguistic rights and freedoms.” In particular, the right to education, including in the languages of national minorities, freedom of expression of views and beliefs, thoughts, words, conscience and religion, use of the language of the national minority. At the same time, the law states that rights and freedoms can be limited.
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“The exercise and / or protection of the rights and freedoms of persons belonging to national minorities (communities) may be limited in accordance with the law in the interests of national security, territorial integrity and public order, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for public health,” it is said in the text of the bill.
