According to the Transcarpathian Hungarian news portal Kárpáti Igaz Szó, a new article of the controversial Ukrainian language law entered into force on July 16, which increases the presence of the Ukrainian language in everyday life and strengthens the status of the state language.

Shocking news was published by the office of the Ukrainian state language protection commissioner. The statement reads: "2022. On July 16, a new, important phase of the implementation of the provisions of the Language Act will begin, which will increase the presence of the Ukrainian language in the public sphere and strengthen its status. The second and sixth parts of Article 27 of the Language Act, which regulate the use of the state language on the Internet and the language settings of computer programs installed on products."

From now on, the language ombudsman can impose fines on officials of state bodies and municipalities, managers and employees of businesses and institutions, as well as other natural persons who violate the language law. The amount of the fine can be up to HUF 140,000.

State language protection commissioner Tarasz Kreminy emphasized that in wartime conditions, non-compliance with the language law plays into the hands of the enemy. "By strengthening the Ukrainian language, we protect our independence. By communicating in the mother tongue, we bring the Ukrainian victory closer," said the ombudsman.

András Kosztur, the XXI. When asked by Magyar Hírlap, the leading researcher of the Század Intézet said that the new language restrictions coming into effect had already been "timed", when the language law was adopted, and their entry into force was not related to the war. One of the changes concerns the user interface of computer programs and the Internet appearance of companies registered in Ukraine - they must be Ukrainian by default from now on.

The other change may affect a much wider group, as it enables the imposition of fines for violations of the Language Act.

The office of the so-called language ombudsman, whose task is to enforce the language law and which also diligently monitors violations, in a report a few days ago found a violation of the language law in the case of President Volodymyr Zelensky, among others, because recordings in English of conversations with entrepreneur Richard Branson and actor Sean Penn were also published on the Telegram channel of the Supreme Council. But language ombudsman Tarasz Kreminy also reprimanded the leaders of the front towns and counties, so it is expected that his office will act actively against ordinary citizens as well.

Since the beginning of the war, a lively process of Derussification has started in Ukraine, which is most spectacularly manifested in the demolition of Russian-related monuments and bans on Russian cultural products. However, there is no complete agreement regarding the latter, many people criticize the efforts aimed at complete "de-Russification", saying that they only divide the country and play into the hands of the enemy - opined the XXI. Century Institute expert.

The advisor to the head of the presidential office, Oleksiy Aresztovics, who is also among the violators of the language law, also believes the same, but on the other hand, people like Kreminy or the scandalous ex-representative, Irina Farion, who called Transcarpathian Hungarians morons a few years ago, believe in the use of the Russian language in such a way as to preserve Russian influence over people's thinking.

In any case, derussification sometimes has absurd manifestations, for example a petition on the official website of the president reached the 25,000 signatures required for a mandatory government resolution, which suggested that II, the founder of Odessa. , a statue of American gay porn actor Billy Herrington .

But you could also hear of cases where some people joined soldiers returning from the front in the hinterland because they spoke Russian and not Ukrainian, András Kosztur told Magyar Hírlap.

Source: Magyar Hírlap

Image: MH