Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Koshulynskyi met with the OSCE Delegation, headed by the OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities Astrid Thors on Tuesday.
Participants of the meeting discussed the state of preparation of the
law on development and use of languages in Ukraine that was elaborated by the
Interim Special Parliamentary Commission. They also discussed current
developments in Ukraine.
In particular, Ms. A.Thors was interested in possible deadlines for adoption of
a new language law and the problems that arose in the course of its
preparation. According to Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, the Commission consisting of representatives of all parliamentary factions, specialists and experts form different regions of Ukraine took as a basis the bill elaborated under the chairmanship of Leonid Kravchuk. He informed that he will address the Parliament with proposals regarding further actions to be taken on the bill on development and use of languages in Ukraine.
R.Koshulynskyi deems that one of the possible ways of consideration of the bill could be adoption of the bill suggested by L.Kravchuk as a basis, and then its referral to international expert organizations, particularly, the Venice Commission, the OSCE and the Council of Europe. “This bill united the Commission,” he said.
After receiving expert estimations, remarks and conclusions, the document will be recommitted to the Verkhovna Rada. Proposals related to amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine will be sent to the commission dealing with improvement of the Basic Law. “It will be much easier to conduct further work on the bill relying on conclusions of international expert organizations”, he stressed.
The second variant stipulates necessity of further Commission’s work for consideration of all proposals, including those requiring constitutional amendments.
In her turn, and aiming to receive necessary expert conclusions as soon as possible, A.Thors suggested send the bill on development and use of languages in Ukraine to the OSCE High Commissioner. “The OSCE High Commissioner is ready to work on this document to consolidate the society”, she claimed.
R.Koshulynskyi agreed to such proposal, stating that in this case “it would be possible to start discussing a version of a new law”. “Discussion should be extensive”, he stressed and added that “having absorbed all proposals to the bill, it will be possible to register it and submit it for the Parliament’s consideration”.
The Interim Special Commission on elaboration of the draft Law of Ukraine on development and use of languages in Ukraine was set up by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on March 4, 2014.
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