Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a law providing for exams in the basics of the Constitution, history of Ukraine and the level of proficiency in the state language as a condition for obtaining Ukrainian citizenship.
As noted in the card of the corresponding bill No. 7606, posted on the website of the Verkhovna Rada, the document was returned to the parliament with the signature of the head of state on 21 April.
Most of the provisions of the law come into force six months after the date of its publication in the parliamentary newspaper “Holos Ukrainy”.
The document stipulates that the conditions for admission of foreigners/citizens without citizenship to Ukrainian citizenship include knowledge of the basics of the Constitution and history of Ukraine, as well as knowledge of the state language and compulsory exams in these subjects.
According to the proposed amendment to the law, a foreigner/citizen without citizenship who wishes to acquire Ukrainian citizenship shall submit in writing a statement to the effect that in the event of acquiring Ukrainian citizenship, he/she will be obliged to pass examinations in the basics of the Constitution of Ukraine, the history of the country, the level of command of the state language and, within two years, present documents on passing such examinations.
At the same time, the law proposes to introduce special conditions for acquiring citizenship for persons who have rendered outstanding service to Ukraine, who are of state interest to Ukraine, who serve under contract in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including those awarded with state awards, or who have received a temporary residence permit. Such persons will be obliged within two years from the moment of acceptance of Ukrainian citizenship to pass exams on the basics of the Constitution and history of Ukraine and on the level of state language proficiency.
The document provides that the failure to pass the exams is the basis for the loss of citizenship.
As reported, the bill was initiated by the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denis Shmygal. The document was registered in the Verkhovna Rada on July 28, 2022. The Rada passed the bill in the first reading on October 18, and as a whole on March 21.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis in a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenski called for a review of the law on national minorities adopted in December, some provisions of which have drawn criticism from the Romanian side.
“Passed on to President Zelenski Romanian concerns about the recently passed law on minorities and agreed to intensify dialogue to find solutions that provide the highest standards of protection for the Romanian community in Ukraine, similar to the Ukrainian community in Romania,” Johannis wrote on Twitter.
According to the press service of the Presidential Administration of Romania, the presidents agreed that in the near future, the foreign ministers of the two countries will hold discussions on the bilateral solution of existing issues.
As it was reported, Zelenski signed the bill No. 8224 on December 29, 2022. The document establishes the definition of “national minorities (communities)”; rights, freedoms and obligations of persons belonging to national minorities, peculiarities of state policy on implementation of rights and freedoms of representatives of national minorities, the powers of the central executive body implementing the state policy on protection of rights and freedoms of persons belonging to national minorities.
Article 5 of the draft Law “Rights, Freedoms and Obligations of Persons Belonging to National Minorities (Communities)” guarantees citizens of Ukraine regardless of their ethnic origin, belonging or not belonging to national minorities (communities) the civil, political, social, economic, cultural and linguistic rights and freedoms defined by the Constitution.
A person belonging to a national minority (community) also has the right to self-identification, freedom of public associations and peaceful assembly, freedom of expression of views and beliefs, thought, speech, conscience and religion; participation in political, economic and social life; use of national minority language; education, including in national minority languages; preservation of cultural identity of national community.
Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania criticized the draft law, noting that the Verkhovna Rada adopted it without additional consultations with the Venice Commission and additional consultations with representatives of the Romanian diaspora in Ukraine. In particular, the Romanian side criticized the unclear regulation of the language of education and the use of languages of national minorities in documentation.
The Verkhovna Rada has passed a new draft law “On the media.”
A total of 299 people’s deputies voted for the relevant draft law No. 2693-d at the plenary session of parliament in Kiev on Tuesday, parliamentarian Yaroslav Zheleznyak (Golos faction) said on his Telegram Channel.
The bill defines the legal framework for the activities of entities in the media sector in Ukraine, as well as the basis of state administration, regulation and supervision (control) in this area.
In particular, the legislative field introduces the concept of “online media”. Voluntary registration, which guarantees legislative protection, is envisaged for them.
According to the Draft Law, if a registered subject in the sphere of online media commits a gross violation, the regulator applies a fine to it. In case of a second or third gross violation within one month after the application of the fine, the decision on which has not been cancelled in accordance with the procedure established by law, a fine of double the amount is imposed.
There is a ban on the distribution of registered online media by court order – this measure applies in the case of a fourth gross violation within one month, if for the previous similar violations fines were applied, the decisions on which have not been canceled in the prescribed manner by law.
The bill also provides for a temporary ban on the distribution of unregistered online media, which is 14 calendar days. The temporary ban is applied in case of a significant violation, if within one month five fines were applied to the subject for such violations and the decision on them has not been canceled in the manner prescribed by law.
As reported, MPs passed the bill in the first reading on August 30. During the preparation of the document for the second reading MPs submitted 2332 amendments and suggestions.
The Verkhovna Rada Finance, Tax and Customs Policy Committee has recommended that the draft laws on the cancellation of VAT and customs duties on imports of generators and other energy equipment, as well as Starlinks, be passed in the second reading, the head of the parliamentary committee for financial, tax and customs policy Daniil Getmantsev said.
“The purpose of the bills is to introduce short-term tax and customs incentives for the restoration of energy infrastructure, namely exemption from import duty and value added tax (VAT) on imports of generators and other components until May 1, 2023,” he wrote in Telegram.
The corresponding bills № 8196 and № 8197 were voted for by 23 members of the committee.
People’s Deputy Yaroslav Zheleznyak (faction “Voice”) noted that the bills will go to the session hall during this session and may be adopted.
He specified that the documents also take into account the exemption from payments for postal and express consignments and provide the opportunity to store fuel without a license up to 2 thousand liters.
Nardep noted that the import of equipment under the Energy Community technical assistance is also exempted from VAT and duties.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed laws within the framework of the “customs visa-free regime”.
“I have just signed the documents on accession (of Ukraine) to the Convention on the Facilitation of Formalities in Trade in Goods and the Convention on the Joint Transit Procedure. They are the actual implementation of the” customs visa-free “. We did this in record time and absolutely smoothly by all branches of government,” Zelensky said in a video message.
At the same time, the head of state thanked the diplomats, government members and deputies who ensured such a result.
“Ukraine will be a full member of the EU. We are already closer to Europe than in previous decades,” the president said.
On August 22, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law on amendments to some legal acts of Ukraine on measures of civil protection during planning and development of territories, which, in particular, provides for mandatory placement of bomb shelters in new buildings.
According to the press service of the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, the law provides for a change in approaches to the forming of a system of civil protection structures in the planning and development of territories at the stage of urban planning documentation at the regional and local levels. In particular, the documentation must necessarily contain a section of engineering and technical measures for civil protection, defining a plan for the development of protective structures and ensuring unhindered access to shelters.
“Today, more than ever, Ukraine needs the development of a network of reliable shelters and storage facilities that will protect people from the risks associated with hostilities. The development of such a network should become mandatory and ubiquitous, which will make our communities safer and more secure,” Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine Oleksiy Chernyshov said.
As reported, the Verkhovna Rada adopted respective bill No. 7398 on July 29.
