A representative of the Authorized Person for the protection of the state language has been appointed in the capital of Ukraine. Language ombudsman Taras Kremin announced this on his official Facebook page, referring to the relevant order of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
This is reported by Київ24
Igor Spiridonov, a veteran of the Russo-Ukrainian war and a combat participant, has been chosen for the position in Kyiv. In August 2024, he sustained serious injuries while defending his homeland in the Pokrovsk direction. Previously, before serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Spiridonov worked as a lawyer in the Secretariat of the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights, gaining many years of experience in public and human rights activities, particularly in the protection of the Ukrainian language.
Responsibilities of the New Representative
Spiridonov will monitor compliance with language legislation not only in Kyiv but also in the Cherkasy, Transcarpathian, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Ternopil regions. He emphasized the importance of increasing the use of the Ukrainian language in all areas of public life.
“The prevalence of the language of the aggressor state in the capital of Ukraine during a full-scale war is outrageous. Ukrainian must become more prominent in all areas of public life in our country. Kyiv should set an example in this regard,” emphasized Igor Spiridonov.
Reaction of the City Authorities
Despite the importance of this issue, the city authorities of Kyiv seem to have been slow to respond to appeals regarding the language question. In 2024, the State Consumer Service recognized the capital as one of the violators of language legislation, indicating the urgency of the problem.