Activists from NGO For Ukrainian-Speaking Kyiv insist that the Verkhovna Rada adopt the language legislation regulating the use of the Ukrainian language since the rights of Ukrainians to being serviced in the Ukrainian language are frequently ignored by business entities and local authorities.
The activists said at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Tuesday that on September 16, a cashier at a McDonald’s restaurant in Kyiv refused to service a client in Ukrainian.
“We are saying that such cases are not isolated, and despite the fact that some large chains still try to offer services in the Ukrainian language, many others stubbornly ignore the rights of Ukrainians (…) The Citrus chain, which refuses to switch to the state language, the KFC chain, and a number of other networks, in particular, Rukkola, ATB, BILLA,” said Andriy Smoliy, head of the Kyiv branch of the Ukrainian Galician Party, deputy head of NGO For Ukrainian-Speaking Kyiv and a civil activist of the Away from Moscow initiative.
He recalled that at a meeting on October 5, 2017 the Kyiv City Council adopted the decision on measures to ensure regional language policy in the city of Kyiv, according to which business entities should have their documentation in the state language.
“Despite the fact that on October 5, 2017 the Kyiv City Council made the decision that Ukrainian is the primary language of service in the territory of the city of Kyiv (…) this decision is openly sabotaged by business entities and KCSA (Kyiv City State Administration), which should ensure the implementation of this decision,” the activist said.
Smoliy added that the only solution would be the adoption of the language legislation by the Verkhovna Rada.
“Now the only solution is the adoption of the language legislation at an all-Ukrainian level, i.e. by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (…) Only the adoption of such a law, which will cover all spheres of social life of Ukrainians, will be able to correct the situation with the language, both in Kyiv and in Ukraine as a whole,” he said.
