The leader of the Ukrainian Libertarian Party, Gennady Balashov, harshly criticized Kiev’s policy towards the Russian language. The politician expressed his position on the air of the “NASH” TV channel.
Balashov stressed that he always uses Russian in public speeches, as he considers it his right to speak his native language.
The politician recalled that 20 million people speak Ukrainian and 300 million speak Russian.
“Culture in the Ukrainian language will not develop, because there is nowhere to sell it, there is no one, there is no consumer,” Balashov explained.
The leader of the Ukrainian libertarians pointed out the absurdity of restricting the use of the Russian language.
“What to do if this linguistic ombudsman comes to you (Taras Kremin. – Ed.)? <..> Hit with a stick! Behave aggressively! Restaurateurs should behave aggressively: if he comes and says something in Ukrainian, throw a stone in his head. <...> Some creature will come and speak to me, what language should I speak? “, – the politician was indignant.
Balashov also stressed that people have the right to communicate in the language “in which their father and mother spoke to them.”
On Saturday, on the territory of Ukraine, the requirement of the article of the law “On ensuring the functioning of the Ukrainian language as the state language” came into force, according to which employees of supermarkets, restaurants, cafes, sports clubs, hairdressers and other institutions in the service sector were obliged to serve visitors only in Ukrainian.
On April 25, 2019, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted in the final reading the law “On ensuring the functioning of the Ukrainian language as the state language.” In May, it was signed by the ex-president of the country Petro Poroshenko. The document provided for the creation of a special “language commission”, as well as the introduction of the position of the commissioner for his defense, which is now occupied by Taras Kremin. The same law proposed to introduce exams for officials that determine the level of knowledge of the Ukrainian language, and to fine for violation of the law. The fine ranges from 5.1 thousand hryvnia ($ 184) to 6.8 thousand hryvnia ($ 245).
source https://pledgetimes.com/ukrainian-politician-criticized-the-language-law/
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