Language debate splits Ukraine

"One part of Ukraine does care about the ideological question of identity, like language, religion, European integration, national statehood - that is the west of Ukraine," Serhiy Taran, director of the Kiev-based International Democracy Institute, said, adding that the east cares much stronger about social issues, such as the economy and social security, RIA Novosti reports.

The scenes broadcast around the world of rioting, swirling tear gas and soaring batons amidst crowds of protesters in Kiev earlier this week only reinforced the notion that language is a painful issue in Ukraine. Shortly after the bill was hurriedly rushed through parliament, hundreds of activists flocked downtown to protest what they see as an assault on the Ukrainian language, which is already eclipsed by the de facto use of Russian in much of Ukraine. 

The affair points to the fact that Ukraine is still bitterly divided by its historical experience: the western Ukrainian-speaking regions, with little historical exposure to Russia, versus the Russian-speaking east, which for long had been under Russian tutelage throughout its history.

Critics say the bill, which still requires signatures from the president and parliamentary speaker, would erode the Ukrainian language and culture entirely. Proponents argue that recognizing the "minority language" is the right - and the "European" - thing to do, especially in a country where they say nationalists are keen on deemphasizing Ukraine's historical link with Russia.

In the Kiev protests, placards and slogans denounced Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych's blatant attempt to score votes by playing the "language card" and underscoring the divisions. Analysts say Yanukovych seeks to pander to his Russian-speaking electorate in eastern and southern Ukraine by raising the status of the Russian language ahead of the October parliamentary elections.

To many, it's an issue that reaches far above politics and history and perhaps raises the biggest question of Ukraine's short experience with independence: Europe or Russia? Some experts say that language also plays a key role in emphasizing Ukraine's statehood.

"Because almost everyone [in Ukraine] is fully bilingual and can communicate in both languages, it often means that some people choose to speak Ukrainian because they believe that shows they're patriotic," Susan Vdovichenko, a researcher on linguistic policy at the U.S.-based Washington and Jefferson College, said.

About 50 percent of Ukrainians speak Russian and 17 percent of the country's population is made up of ethnic Russians, according to the latest census figures. They have bemoaned the lack of official respect toward their own language, claiming that steady "Ukrainization," which has passed through different phases under various Ukrainian presidents, has been aimed at negating the historical ties between Russia and most of Ukraine.

Other observers said Russian-speakers had been taken by surprise by Ukraine's post-Soviet attempts to emphasize the Ukrainian language.

For full version go to