Four Language Laws of Ukraine

Abstract

Abstract. Following the Soviet Union’s dissolution, Ukrainian nation building was aided by the system of institutions inherited from the ussr, but made difficult by the Russian community in Ukraine which became a minority overnight. This presence has been felt primarily in Ukrainian-Russian language struggles. Some researchers and specialists have repeatedly pointed out that the question of languages is heavily politicised in Ukraine. The fact that it is not clearly settled can lead to the emergence of language ideologies as well as to conflicts of ethnic groups and languages. It is no coincidence that in Article 6, the Law on National Security regards the settling of the language issue as a priority among the country’s national interests. Through the comparative analysis of four linguistic rights documents, this article shows how between 1989 and 2014, the Ukrainian political elite attempted to maintain social equilibrium through introducing legislation aimed to regulate language use.