Kremin criticised the draft law on simplified acquisition of citizenship: «Creates risks for the country»

Taras Kremin. Photo: Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language, Facebook

Taras Kremin, the Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language, has criticised the provisions in the presidential draft law on the introduction of multiple citizenship. He believes that this could have negative consequences for Ukraine's international image.

He sent a letter to the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Human Rights, De-occupation and Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories, National Minorities and International Relations.

As you know, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the draft law in the first reading on 17 December.

It provides for a simplified procedure for acquiring Ukrainian citizenship. In particular, the document allows foreigners to obtain Ukrainian citizenship without having to pass exams on the state language, the Constitution of Ukraine and the history of Ukraine.

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However, Taras Kremin believes that this simplification is not justified and may create problems for those who want to obtain citizenship without knowledge of the language. For example, in the exercise of their civil rights, in particular in the electoral process, interaction with state authorities, access to education and employment.

He also noted that the established period of up to three years for learning the state language for those who obtain citizenship under the simplified procedure only increases the risks.

«The implementation of the draft law's provisions on the simplified procedure for acquiring citizenship without first passing the state language proficiency test may further lead to a significant number of Ukrainian citizens losing their citizenship, in particular due to the lack of proper motivation to learn the language or access to or proper conditions for passing the relevant exam. Deprivation of such persons of Ukrainian citizenship will require significant administrative resources and may have negative consequences for the international image of Ukraine,» said Taras Kremin.

The draft law was submitted to the Verkhovna Rada in August 2024 by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The draft law prohibits multiple citizenship for persons holding Russian citizenship or citizenship of countries that do not recognise the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.

It is proposed to allow multiple citizenship in the following cases:

• simultaneous acquisition by a child by birth of Ukrainian citizenship and citizenship of another state;
• Acquisition by a child who is a citizen of Ukraine of the citizenship of his/her foreign adoptive parents;
• automatic acquisition of another citizenship by a citizen of Ukraine as a result of marriage to a foreigner;
• automatic acquisition by a citizen of Ukraine who has reached the age of majority of another citizenship as a result of the application of the legislation on citizenship of a foreign state, if such a citizen of Ukraine has not received a document confirming the citizenship of another state;
• Acquisition of Ukrainian citizenship under a simplified procedure for foreigners who are citizens of states included in the list of those who can obtain citizenship under a simplified procedure;
• Acquisition of citizenship by a citizen of Ukraine of states from the list of states whose citizens acquire Ukrainian citizenship under a simplified procedure.