Posted by Odesit on April 16, 2000 at 21:37:46:
In Reply to: Re: Зате Київ буде україномовним posted by lesia on April 16, 2000 at 06:18:08:
I think it will take time and skillful state policy for majority of people to accept and learn Ukrainian.
Right now, younger generation of school age knows Ukrainian better than their parents, because they had to learn it in school.
Will we have 100% participation? Probably not. Majority? Yes. Even in the USA, knowledge of English is a first step to succes, but many Spanish speaking people do not wont to learn English and prefer to work, live in the Spanish speaking communities.
Recall: in 1989 many living in Ukraine, said that blue and yellow flag and trident - "symbols of Banderovtsev i politsaev" will never be a state symbol. Its 1999 and it had been our official state symbol for near 9 years. Many did not beleive Ukraine will be an independant state, this year we will celebrate its 9th anniversary.
Improving quality of life, stabilizing economy, solving energy crisis and removal of sole dependancy on any country (Russia, US, EU) should be the most important goal, language policy should be developed in parallel. Otherwise the language policy is a law that few follow and it creates unneeded tensions within the country.
Then Russians and Germans and Kazakhs will learn Ukrainian. Just like people around the world learn English, Japanese, German and Spanish.
I hope all of you guys took part in referendum, not voicing your opinion does not prove much at all, voicing it has more benefit.