I write to express my concern about the impact of the new language laws in Ukraine on the publication of the Kyiv Post.
While I understand the desire to protect the Ukrainian language and promote it in its native country, the requirement to publish in two languages, contained in the first draft that received preliminary approval in parliament, would have a very adverse effect upon this newspaper.
For outsiders who do not know a lot about Ukraine and do not have a knowledge of the Ukrainian language, the Kyiv Post has long been a critical source of objective and clear information. It introduces Ukraine to the world, explains contemporary political, economic, and cultural events and is of special interest to those traveling to and from the country.
Indeed, the most common sight on any flight out of Kyiv Boryspil International Airport is passengers opening up the newspaper.
Although knowledge of Ukrainian is essential among scholars, this is not the case with most visitors to Ukraine.
I would note also the predominance in this part of the world of official Russian media offering its propagandistic version of events–it is a fact that many of the visitors to Ukraine may read Russian but not Ukrainian (especially those coming from the United States).
To cut off this supply of information would do a great disservice and even harm to Ukraine and thus I urge you to rethink these laws and accept amendments that would allow the Kyiv Post to be made an exception.
