National communities in Ukraine must be an integral part of Ukrainian society without losing their identity. To this end, work is underway to develop a bill on the national communities of Ukraine, said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the opening of the All-Ukrainian Forum "Ukraine 30. Humanitarian Policy" in Kyiv.
The President pointed out that, in accordance with the Constitution of Ukraine, the Ukrainian people are citizens of Ukraine of all nationalities.
"And this is the first issue that needs attention. Many nationalities have lived together in Ukraine side by side for many years. Unfortunately, the legislation in this area has not been improved for the same number of years. Both the Office of the President and I have set a task to develop qualitatively new and progressive legislation. And now we are actively working on the law on national communities of Ukraine," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
The Head of State stressed that it is about communities - not national minorities.
"Because no nationality in our state should feel like a minority - less important, or less protected, or less happy. No one can be in the minority, because we are all citizens of Ukraine, we are all equal. We are all worthy. And there is our great state. Ukraine is our big common home, kind, warm, strong. And every community should feel it," the President said.
According to the Head of State, national communities should be an integral part of Ukrainian society, without losing their identity, language and traditions.
Answering journalists' questions after the speech, the President clarified that, in his opinion, even the very phrase used today - "national minority" - makes a person feel unequal with other citizens.
"We should feel equal. There are many different national communities," Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed, adding that traditions, language and religion should be protected in the same way, regardless of whether they are of indigenous people or national communities.
That is why a corresponding bill on the national communities of Ukraine is being worked out, and many people joined its elaboration.
