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Ukrainian politician: If we won’t speak Ukrainian, we will forever remain slaves of Russia

Article by: Yevhen Rybchynskyi – Ukrainian politician, poet, journalist, MP
Translated by: Christine Chraibi
As debates in Ukraine on the status of the Russian language, which is widely spoken in the South-East of the country, and state support for the development of Ukrainian, such as the recently adopted quotas for Ukrainian-language content on radio, are ongoing, Parliament deputy Yevhen Rybchynskyi presents the case for Ukrainian being essential for the independence of the country.

If the French were to listen to English music all day, Turkish people to Arabic songs,

if Poles sang German songs for the New Year, and the Japanese chanted in Chinese,

these countries and their peoples would soon cease to exist.

But, in Ukraine, despite the language quota, Russian-language pop music continues to expand….

Nevertheless, we still firmly believe we’re heading towards a more civilized world;

we’re convinced that we’re a real nation while 90% of us continue to eat Olivier salad* and watch Inter!**

If the Jews that Moses led through the desert sang Egyptian tunes along the way, they would still be enslaved.

But, Ukrainians continue to speak Russian, watch or listen to Russian programs!

If Ukrainians aren’t able to communicate daily in their own language, they will forever remain slaves of the people whose language they speak!

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*Olivier salad is a traditional salad dish in Russian cuisine. In Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and other post-Soviet states, the salad has become one of the main dishes served at New Year’s Eve celebrations.

** Inter is a popular TV channel in Ukraine that covers most of Ukrainian territory. It’s owned by oligarch Dmytro Firtash and millionaire Serhiy Liovochkin, Yanukovych’s advisor. Since 2014, Inter has been widely criticized for broadcasting too many Russian programs, serials and variety shows.

Translated by: Christine Chraibi
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