ROC Representative: Russian Language to Be Official in Ukraine

The head of the press service of the Moscow Patriarchate, Protopriest Volodymyr Vyhylianskyi, views the idea of the deputy head of the presidential administration, Hanna Herman, to introduce three official languages in Ukraine – Ukrainian, Russian, and English – as a good idea without taking seriously the suggestion about English, reported www.religion.in.ua with reference to the website of the News of the Russian Federation.

"Implementation of this proposal will allow the status of the Russian language to increase, especially, as compared to the period of the openly russophobic politics," he said. "However, the proposal to grant English the official status seems far-fetched to me. Many residents of Ukraine, as it appears to me, will oppose it. I doubt that even a small part of the Ukrainian population thinks in this language. The Russian language is undoubtedly more significant in Ukraine," said the priest.

"As for the development of the Russian language in Ukraine, one just should not hinder it. If the state authorities in Ukraine do not hinder the spread of the Russian language, Russia and all Russians will be grateful. A great part of the Ukrainian population thinks in and speaks Russian. And in normal conditions, the language will develop by itself. In that case, it will be possible to learn Russian at schools, books will be published and radio and TV programs will be created. Everything will be fine. The main thing is not to hinder it," he said.