TORONTO – With the goal of implementing practical security mechanisms under the conditions of the Russian Federation’s aggression, and the continued engagement of the Ukrainian diaspora in Ukraine’s development and international support, the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) has called for the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to amend Draft Law No. 2590 “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on Ctizenship.”
In a letter dated February 5 to Verkhovna Rada Chairman Dmytro Razumkov and leaders of party factions and groups, UWC President Paul Grod emphasized the UWC’s consistent call for the liberalization of laws on citizenship and underscored the importance of creating effective safeguards in the interest of national security.
Some of the important UWC proposals submitted during the drafting of the law in 2019 were included in the draft law currently tabled. The UWC president called upon the Verkhovna Rada to further review the proposed draft legislation and amend the draft law taking into account the following UWC proposals:
- simplify the citizenship process for individuals who have the status of “zakordonnyi ukrayinets” (Ukrainian living outside Ukraine) to further enable their participation in Ukraine’s development;
- provide opportunities for Ukrainians living outside Ukraine to work in state and municipal administrations of Ukraine;
- implement effective security measures, particularly with respect to individuals connected to the military aggression of the Russian Federation; and
- introduce a pledge of allegiance to Ukraine upon first receiving a Ukrainian passport.
“The issue of citizenship involves important security and political considerations and is, therefore, a very sensitive topic both for Ukrainians in Ukraine as well as Ukrainians living abroad,” stated UWC President Grod. “The UWC is prepared to continue working with the relevant Verkhovna Rada committees on drafting the outlined proposals.”