Ukrainian parliament backs mandatory English language law for key positions in country
Pravda Ukraine
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the country’s parliament, has supported the law on the use of the English language in Ukraine, which obliges certain civil servants, as well as emergency aid workers and several other fields, to speak English.
Source: Yaroslav Zhelezniak, Ukrainian MP, on Telegram
Details: On 22 November, the parliament, with 278 votes in favour, supported law No. 9432 on the use of the English language in Ukraine.
The law provides for the official establishment of the status of the English language as one of the languages of international communication in Ukraine; the definition of the category of positions for which candidates are required to speak English; the regulation of the peculiarities of the use of the English language in the work of state authorities, local self-government bodies, units of emergency assistance to the population, while crossing the state border, in education, transport and health care.
Quote from Zhelezniak: “The provision regarding the screening of English-language films in theatres in the original language with Ukrainian subtitles has been excluded by the committee’s decision. So, for those advocating for the preservation of dubbing – rest easy.”
Background:
- On 28 June 2023, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested that the Verkhovna Rada make English language proficiency a mandatory requirement for holding government positions and in several fields.
- The language ombudsman criticised the law for the provision of showing English-language films without dubbing in Ukrainian, the original language. Ukrainians also created a petition for the preservation of Ukrainian dubbing. It gained the required number of votes for consideration.
- Some provisions of the law “On the use of the English language in Ukraine” were promised to be finalised, in particular, regarding the showing of films in cinema theatres.
- On 20 July, the humanitarian committee of the parliament supported law No. 9432. All points that could restrict the use of the Ukrainian language were removed from the document: the requirement to show English-language films in cinemas in the original language; changes to the law on cinematography; changes to the law on the state language in terms of cinema; changes to the media law on reducing the quota of Ukrainian-language programs.
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