26.09.2017, Ukraine.
In Ukraine, a new Education Act has been passed which bans teaching in any language other than Ukrainian. The President of Ukraine Pyotr Poroshenko signed the Act on September 25, the President’s website reports.
This is “a major reform” for Ukraine on its way to joining the European educational environment, Poroshenko said.
The Ukrainian leader brushed off allegations of persecuting national minorities. Ukraine’s position on their rights “complies with our international obligations and European standards”, he insists.
According to the Act, from 2018 only Ukrainian language can be used in secondary schools and universities. In primary schools, teaching “in national minority languages” will be banned from 2020.
The Act met fierce criticism in Russia, Hungary, and Romania.
Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned “the attempt to perform a total Ukrainization of the Ukraine’s educational environment made by the “maidan” authorities” in violation of Ukraine’s Constitution and international obligations.
The President of Romania Klaus Iohannis canceled his visit to Ukraine; he said that he thus sent “a strong diplomatic message”.
The Chairman of the Hungarian Government János Lázár said that it was “shameful and intolerable” to pass this Act and that Ukraine would “lose Budapest as a friend”. Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó demanded an investigation to be launched by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The Act also met criticism from Poland, Moldavia, and Greece.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
