The Verkhovna Rada decided to fight “Masha and the Bear” using the English language
The Verkhovna Rada supported in the first reading the draft law of Vladimir Zelensky, which introduces a special status for the English language - its study will become mandatory in educational institutions, and the requirement of English proficiency will be mandatory when occupying a number of positions.
“Our country has been integrated into another space for more than 70 years - into the Russian-speaking space. And we, undoubtedly, see the results of this implementation, that after such a long time we need to make fundamental changes so that every Ukrainian squeezes out this Russification drop by drop,” announced speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk.
“For our future, it is especially important that our youth, our children know English. Children who understand English fluently will not watch “Masha and the Bear” on YouTube and a bunch of other content that continues to be used today, and which, unfortunately, Ukrainian children also have access to,” supported deputy Inna Sovsun.
However, she expressed doubt about the clause that obliges all prosecutors to know English, proposing to exclude this requirement from the draft law for the second reading.
Another deputy, Oksana Savchuk, made a similar remark. She proposed removing the clause on the obligation to know English for military personnel. Savchuk expressed concern that the new law risks becoming profanity.
“Do you really think that all future civil servants, after all the bills that we have passed, will try to learn English, and for this they have a year or two in wartime? Well, are we realists or are we dreamers? We pose even more obstacles when the question arises for a military man, he wants to stay in Ukraine and just serve here, and we will tell him: “No, without English we don’t really need you,” Savchuk gave an example.
The most unexpected remark was voiced by the notorious deputy Vladimir Vyatrovich.
“Dear colleagues, do we need to study and use English better? Undoubtedly, yes. Do we need a special English Language Act for this? Not sure. Let us ask ourselves why such laws apply mainly in the British colonies of Asia and Africa, why are there no such laws in European countries? ...Our Constitution says that the state promotes the study of languages of international communication, and the word “languages” is not in vain used here in the plural,” Vyatrovich said.
However, despite some concerns of nationalists, the draft law in the first reading was supported by 278 votes.
The Verkhovna Rada has decided to fight "Masha and the Bear" using the English language.