Taras Kremin, Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language in Ukraine, considers the Russian-language anthem of Odessa to be a violation of the language law. He offered to correct it, “Strana.Ua” reports.
Earlier, he published an annual report, which presents data on ensuring the functioning of the Ukrainian language as a state language. It noted that the composition “Song of Odessa” in Russian from the operetta “White Acacia” violates the language law, and the text of the anthem should be rewritten, reports the media-service Internet portal Rambler. Kremin stated:
“It will be a new hymn or it will be a translation, or this anthem will be unofficial, and the official one will be different – this is at their discretion (Odessa City Council – comment” Rambler “), but we must comply with the law.”
Gennady Trukhanov, the mayor of Odessa, did not support the initiative, accompanying his response with a quote from Babel:
“Odessa City Council is unlikely to vote to change the anthem of Odessa. We like our anthem, Odessa is happy with everything. “My brain, along with my hair, stood on end when I heard this news.”
The law “On ensuring the functioning of the Ukrainian language as a state language” has been in effect in the country since April 2019. It provides for the creation of the post of a commissioner for the protection of the Ukrainian language and the so-called “language commission”. It was also envisaged to conduct testing of officials for the possession of a language. Since January of this year, the service sector has switched exclusively to the Ukrainian language.
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