Lubinets says MPs pressuring him to nominate Kremen for reappointment as language ombudsman
The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Dmytro Lubinets, called the calls of members of parliament for him to reappoint Taras Kremen as the Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language pressure on the Ombudsman's Office as an independent institution.
He recalled that there are three subjects of nomination for this position. One of them is the Ombudsman of Ukraine.
"A group of deputies signed a letter to the Commissioner with a request to nominate Mr. Taras. My answer is very simple. Firstly, the deadline for submitting a candidacy has expired. Secondly, I have fully complied with the requirements of the current legislation - within the period prescribed by law, I have already submitted my candidacy," he said in response to a question from the Interfax-Ukraine agency during the press conference "The Brave Change the World."
Lubinets noted that if the government decides not to approve the candidates, he is ready to return to this issue again.
"However, I want to emphasize clearly: one of the fundamental articles of the profile law on the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights is the principle of independence from all authorities (…) So, with such actions, when they try to put pressure on the Commissioner in this way, this is not a question of Lubinets - this is a question of the functioning of an independent institution," he said.
The Ombudsman also announced that he was ready to openly communicate with people's deputies and meet with them, as he had already done with Kremen.
He also noted the potential of the candidacy he nominated, Olena Ivanovska. According to Lubinets, she can become one of the best commissioners for the protection of the state language.
"I have submitted my candidacy. Now we are waiting for the government's decision. If the government decides not to approve this candidacy and again authorizes the three entities to submit new candidacies, then I will again consider various candidacies — including, possibly, the candidacy of Mr. Taras. However, I emphasize: so that this does not sound like top news now — Lubinets is ready to nominate Taras Kremen. Legally, Lubinets cannot do this. And with all due respect to everyone, the Commissioner for Human Rights acts exclusively within the law and determines the candidacy in accordance with the law," he emphasized.
Earlier, on July 1, a group of 22 deputies of the Verkhovna Rada appealed to Lubinets with an appeal to submit the candidacy of the current Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language Kremen for reappointment as the Language Ombudsman.
As reported, according to the Cabinet of Ministers, for the position of Language Ombudsman, the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets nominated philologist Olena Ivanovska, First Deputy Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine Halyna Hryhorenko nominated Deputy State Secretary of the Cabinet of Ministers Pavlo Polyansky and Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration - Minister of Justice of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna nominated philologist Iryna Koval-Fuchylo. Later, Koval-Fuchylo withdrew her candidacy, and Stefanishyna nominated actor Oleksandr Zavalsky.
In a comment to the Interfax-Ukraine agency, the acting Language Ombudsman Taras Kremin stated that he had not been consulted regarding a possible reappointment to the position, but he would be interested in continuing his work.
On June 19, cultural figures called on the authorities to reappoint Kremen to the position of Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language for the next term. As of June 27, 163 artists, cultural and public figures, human rights activists, educational and scientific figures, regional journalists and editors had already signed the appeal.
On June 20, the former head of the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance (UINP), a deputy of the Verkhovna Rada, Volodymyr Viatrovych (European Solidarity faction), criticized Zavalsky's candidacy and the authorities' actions regarding the institution of a language ombudsman.