Rada supports renaming “kopiyka” to “shag”: when will the name of the coin be changed
18 December 12:12
On December 18, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine supported in the first reading Bill 14093, which provides for the de-Russification of the name of the change coin and the replacement of the word “kopiyka” with the historical Ukrainian name “shag”. This is reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to the broadcast of the Verkhovna Rada meeting.
The draft law was voted in favor by 264 MPs, which allowed the parliamentary procedure for its adoption to begin.
What does draft law No. 14093 propose?
The document proposes to officially change the name of the smallest monetary unit of Ukraine from “kopiyka” to “shag”. At the same time
- the ratio will remain unchanged – 1 hryvnia = 100 shahs;
- the change will not require additional budgetary expenditures;
- “kopiykas” and “shahs” will be in circulation in parallel for some time.
The National Bank of Ukraine has previously reported that there are currently about 14 billion coins in circulation, and in fact, in the future, it is planned to mint only 50 shah coins – within about 3-4 years.
Why “shah” and not “kopiyka”?
The renaming is not only technical but also symbolic. The name “kopeck” is a legacy of the Russian imperial and Soviet monetary system.
Instead, “shah” is a specifically Ukrainian historical name that was used
- during the Hetmanate;
- during the Ukrainian People’s Republic;
- in the monetary circulation of Ukrainian lands before the Soviet occupation.
Thus, the draft law fits into the broader process of de-Russification and decolonization of public space.
When the decision may be finalized
The final adoption of the law requires a vote in the second reading and in general.
According to MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak, the parliament is considering convening an additional plenary session on December 27 to complete the consideration of the document this year.
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