Language and corruption: the European Commission’s requirements for Ukraine to start accession negotiations with the EU have been revealed

More specific requirements from the European Commission for Ukraine to begin negotiations on EU membership have become known.

Radio Liberty reports the following conditions that the European Commission recommends approving for Ukraine to initiate negotiations:

1. Increase the staffing of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine.
2. Remove restrictions on the powers of the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption concerning asset verification.
3. Pass a lobbying law as part of the de-oligarchization process.
4. Align laws on national minorities, the state language, media, and education with the recommendations of the Venice Commission.
5. Achieve specific corruption-related court verdicts.

As of now, Ukraine has fulfilled 4 out of the 7 criteria. The next report from the European Commission is scheduled for March 2024.

The draft report also emphasizes that Ukraine should continue its fight against corruption through further investigations and judicial verdicts.

Regarding changes to the language law that the European Commission expects from Ukraine, it is reported that a law is expected to be passed that will “take into account the remaining recommendations of the Venice Commission from June and October 2023, related to laws on national minorities, as well as incorporate Venice Commission recommendations related to state language, media, and education.”

In the context of the June Venice Commission conclusion, Ukraine was urged to expand the use of languages of national minorities by allowing them to hold their events without translation into Ukrainian, easing the publication and retail sale of books in minority languages, “clarifying” the translation of official names and information for general public use into minority languages, and adopting a methodology for using minority languages in government institutions.

The Venice Commission also called for a reconsideration of other language-related laws, particularly those related to “restrictions on the freedom to use minority languages and differential treatment of minority languages,” as well as the right to access media in minority languages by eliminating language quotas in the Media Law.

The Venice Commission also urged a further postponement of the transition of the education system to the Ukrainian language.

In September, the Ukrainian Rada passed a bill amending the law on national minorities. However, in October, the Venice Commission criticized it, calling the limitations on the use of the Russian language for 5 years an extended period.

It’s worth noting that in all recent versions of laws on the protection of the rights of national minorities passed by the Ukrainian Rada, the Russian language, identified as the language of the aggressor state, is excluded from the protection of these rights. In transitional provisions of the law adopted in September, it was stated that the language rights of national minorities do not extend to the language of the aggressor state during the state of war and for 5 years after its cancellation. During the state of war and for 6 months after its cancellation, the Russian-speaking minority in Ukraine will not have other rights provided by law.