Good for Ukraine ! -   as Romania cancels visit over language bill

AFPSeptember 22, 2017

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, pictured in August 2017, intended to send a "very strong signal" of disapproval at Ukraine's language bill by cancelling a planned visit to the country
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, pictured in August 2017, intended to send a "very strong signal" of disapproval at Ukraine's language bill by cancelling a planned visit to the country (AFP Photo/BERTRAND GUAY)
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Kiev (AFP) - Ukraine on Friday expressed disappointment after the president of Romania said he would not travel to the ex-Soviet country next month in protest over a bill that obliges schools to teach in the Ukrainian language only.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said the bill "drastically limits" the access of minorities to education in their native language, adding that the cancellation of his visit is a "very strong signal."

A Ukrainian foreign ministry spokeswoman confirmed that the visit had been cancelled.


"We are disappointed that the Romanian side doesn't want the leaders to have dialogue," she told AFP.

The draft law has been approved by the Ukrainian parliament but President Petro Poroshenko has yet to sign off on it.

According to the text of the bill, starting from September 1, 2020, education for Ukrainian pupils will be provided in the Ukrainian language when they reach the fifth grade. https://www.yahoo.com/news/ukraine-disappointed-romania-cancels-visit-over-language-bill-162245464.html https://www.yahoo.com/news/ukraine-disappointed-romania-cancels-visit-over-language-bill-162245464.html