Rada decides to change small change: kopecks will be renamed into “steps”
1 October 16:48
The NBU proposed renaming kopecks into steps last year. The Rada has finally registered the relevant bill.
This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to draft lawNo. 14093.
The draft was submitted by the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk and his deputies. Therefore, it is highly likely to be adopted.
The authors of the draft law explain that the name “kopiyka” has a hostile, post-Soviet, and Russian origin. Whereas shah is an inherently Ukrainian name that was used back in the days of the Hetmanate and the Ukrainian People’s Republic.
In 2024, the National Bank initiated the change of the name of the kopiyka to shah. The idea was supported by the Institute of History of Ukraine, the Institute of Linguistics, and the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory.
Among the supporters are well-known historians Serhiy Plohiy and Oleksandr Alfiorov, as well as public figures and the military.
The change of the kopiika to a shah will be a symbolic completion of the 1996 monetary reform. It should help decolonize and restore national traditions in the denomination of money.
The adoption of the law is scheduled to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the introduction of the hryvnia in 2026.
The law will come into force 2 months after its publication.
