During summer 2006 Union of Young Political Scientists of Ukraine managed the project on the language issue in Ukraine. The project was aimed on the analysis of public opinion concerning language issue and summarized possible ways to resolve the problem. Research background included open discussion on our web-site, opinion survey among political journalists and street opinion poll. On the basis of most feasible proposals we developed conclusions and recommendations that were sent for compulsory consideration to relevant parliamentary committees and governmental agencies. Copies of the recommendations were disseminated among interested non-governmental organizations, political parties and mass-media. 

General conclusions:

1. For the majority of Ukrainian citizens language problems do not exist; most Ukrainians understand and speak both Russian and Ukrainian freely.

2. Quantity, diversity and prevalence of Russian-language published editions and especially press all over the territory of Ukraine shows full-scale development and functioning of Russian language in all regions of the country. This may lead to gradual exclusion of Ukrainian language even from traditionally Ukrainian-speaking regions.

3. Forcing Ukrainian language in Russian-speaking regions causes considerable resistance from citizens who stand in favor of giving Russian language that status of second official language. On the other hand, Ukrainian-speaking regions are strictly opposed to the idea of Ukraine’s becoming officially bilingual. Such antagonistic trends may bring about negative political consequences up to disintegration of the state. 

4. Underdevelopment of Ukrainian terminology impedes employment of Ukrainian language in certain fields of science.

All language policies should secure rights and interests of all existent language groups without any discrimination. For this reason it would be expedient to differentiate separate tasks within the whole problem according to its different aspects. Policy of small actions shows capacity to resolve the problem without causing resistance of neither Ukrainian nor Russian-speaking groups.

Project on language issue allowed us to differentiate the following components of language problems as well as ways to resolve them:

1. Language problem is created artificially and to considerable extent results from political manipulations. To prevent this law enforcement bodies should ensure due control over constitutional and criminal provisions, in particular to prevent possible violations by aggressive organizations, political parties, certain political leaders, etc. Criminal code of Ukraine foresees strict penalties for violations of Article 161 “Violation of equality of citizens for their race or nationally or attitude to religion” as well as Article 109 «Actions aimed at violent change of constitutional order or coup or seizure of state power” and Article 110 “Infringement of territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine”. At the same time, special courses on contemporary political and ethnic relations should be introduced at high schools and undergraduate educational institutions. This is supposed to contribute to broadening of political outlook of young people and empowering them against political manipulations. 

2. Official Ukrainian translation of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages is inaccurate. As a result, wide-spread Russian language is regarded as a dieing out one in Ukraine. To resolve this problem it is sufficient to ratify correct translation of the Charter on the next parliamentary plenary session.

3. Cases of aggressive Ukrainian and Russian nationalism and chauvinism are unrare. Parliamentary Committee for human rights, rights of minorities and cross-national relations as well as Committee for culture and morality should pay special attention to this problem and create legal barriers against aggressive manifestations of nationalism and chauvinism. Governmental agencies should withstand such manifestations not only within media space, but within the activities of non-governmental organizations as well.

4. Ukraine suffers from aggressive informational and cultural policies of neighboring countries, in particular of the Russian Federation. These policies are implemented through loyal mass media and non-governmental organizations which are financed form abroad through donor organizations. This problem is the one of national security. Its resolution calls for creation of specialized governmental institution  to be responsible for combating information attacks as well as for improving the image of Ukraine both on the international and national levels. 

5. Ukrainian scientific terminology is underdeveloped. Ukrainian language lacks considerable number of specialized terms what impedes scientific progress and induces scientists to turn to other languages, mainly to Russian. Ukrainian scientists should be promoted to pay special attention to working with Ukrainian specialized terminology, while government should support publishing of terminological dictionaries.

6. Official documentation is entirely Ukrainian and no special consulting and translation services are provided for those who do not speak Ukrainian. This flaw should be eliminated. The expenses should be covered by the recipients of these services or by local budgets in case local self-government authorities decide so. 

7. The majority of mass media, literature, cinematographic and musical production is in Russian, which Ukrainian-speaking citizens consider to be violation of their right for information in native language.  This may also be taken for discrimination on the basis of language. On the other hand, compulsory limitation of the usage of Russian language  (e.g., Resoultion of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine №20 dated 16 January 2006 “Certain Issues of Distributing and Public Demonstration of Movies”) in favor of Ukrainian is discriminative as well. The situation should be harmonized by means of tax deductions for Ukrainian language mass-media, cinematograph, radio channels, et cetera. For example, tax deduction could be proportional to the share of Ukrainian-language production within the total amount of information and other similar production of certain manufacturer. This will not only support already existing Ukrainian-language editions, but also stimulate Russian-language editors to produce Ukrainian-language production, contributing to the development of Ukrainian culture.
Economic and non-economic stimuli for translations and spreading pieces of world literature in Ukrainian translation should be applied as well.

8. The level of high school graduates’ knowledge in Ukrainian language, literature and history is inadmissibly low, especially within Russian-speaking regions. It is necessary to enhance these courses and the methodology of teaching them in order to stimulate the interest of students. The courses on Ukrainian language and literature and courses on foreign languages and literatures should be balanced. Teachers of Ukrainian language, history and literature in Russian-speaking regions may be granted special privileges (bonuses, special conditions for crediting, accommodations, et cetera).

9. Ukrainian-language software is of very low quality, the majority of software is either in Russian or in English. There are almost no companies that produce Ukrainian versions of popular software products. This problem should be resolved by means of stimulation and encouragement (e.g., through taxation policies) of manufacturers of Ukrainian-language software and establishment of administrative limits of dissemination of Russian-language software in case if it has official Ukrainian versions.

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