Ukrainians rally against language law

About 100 people rallied near the Ukrainian Parliament in Kiev, Monday, to protest against the adoption of the new law on languages, which enhances the use of Russian significantly.

The protesters showed banners with slogans against the law of Russian – Ukrainian bilingualism. The slogans encouraged people to learn Ukrainian, not to “take away Ukrainian children’s mother tongues”, and linked the issue to energy disputes between Ukraine and Russia.

Participants to the rally stated that with a law on Ukrainian – Russian bilingualism, Ukrainian will quickly disappear from schools, television, films and books. They urged the authorities to concentrate on the urgent social problems Ukraine is currently facing.