Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language Taras Kremin considers it inadmissible to provide Dom TV with the opportunity to broadcast in a non-state language throughout Ukraine.

Today the agenda of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine again includes the bill No. 4487, the amendments to which propose to broadcast programs and films in a non-state language throughout Ukraine on one of the TV channels [Dom TV channel]. I appealed to Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk regarding the inadmissibility of the adoption of this bill with appropriate amendments," Kremin was quoted as saying by the press service of the language ombudsman.

He said that according to the language legislation, television and radio organizations must broadcast in the state language.

The ombudsman also said that according to the Constitution, a citizen of Ukraine has no obligation to speak a language other than the state, so providing him as a consumer with information in another language against his will is a violation of his rights, which is incompatible with the Constitution.

"The application of bilingualism in public space by mixing the Ukrainian language with any other, in particular when television or radio broadcasting in audio form is conducted simultaneously in two languages ​​- Ukrainian and another language, does not correspond to the constitutional status as a single state language, which is not only a violation of law a citizen of Ukraine to receive information in the state language, but also narrows the space for the use of the Ukrainian language, undermines its very system, distorts its structure, creates the ground for its internal decay, causing its decline," Kremin said, citing the conclusion of the Constitutional Court.

Among other things, the language ombudsman drew attention to the conclusions of the Constitutional Court that ensuring the functioning of the state Ukrainian language in all spheres of public life is the duty of the state.

"Therefore, I warn the MPs of Ukraine against violating the Constitution and laws of Ukraine and leveling the state status of the Ukrainian language, both today and in their future activities.

After all, according to the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, the threat to the Ukrainian language and its status as a single state language is equivalent to the threat to the national security of Ukraine and the very existence of the Ukrainian state," he said.