Rivne Regional Council Proposes to the Verkhovna Rada to Rename “Kopecks” to “Steps”
28 September 00:21
To rename the national currency coin – instead of “kopiyka”, use the historical name “shah”. This appeal to the parliament was adopted by the Rivne Regional Council at a session on September 26.
This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to Suspilne.
The document argues that the need to introduce the name “step” instead of “kopiyka” is justified by the fact that the policy of restoring Ukrainian national memory should cover all areas, including terminology:
“In September 2024, in order to restore historical justice, promote de-Russification and revive national traditions in the monetary circulation of Ukraine, the National Bank of Ukraine initiated a change in the name of change coins from ‘kopiyka’ to ‘shag’.
The appeal also noted that the shah has been a real currency in the Ukrainian lands since the 16th century and was used during the Hetmanate and the Ukrainian Revolution of 1917-1921. This is a peculiarly Ukrainian name for a change coin, unlike the “kopiyka,” which comes from the Russian imperial tradition.
“After all, the very etymology of the term ‘kopiyka’ is closely related to the Russian imperial tradition: the coin depicted a rider with a spear (javelin), and this is where the term ‘kopiyka’ came from,” the document explains.
During the consideration of an appeal to the Verkhovna Rada to rename the kopiyka to shag, a discussion arose in the session hall of the Rivne Regional Council about the appropriateness of such a move during the war.
Deputy Oleksandr Protsiuk asked whether this would not be an additional financial burden for the state:
“Do you know how much money, I assume, such a whim will cost during the war? And wouldn’t it be more appropriate to spend this money on weapons for the Armed Forces?”
The chairman of the regional council, Andriy Karaush, explained:
“This operation does not entail any additional costs, it is carried out within the framework of the National Bank’s proposal to gradually withdraw the “kopiyka”, which is the Russian name for our change coin, from circulation and replace it with the Ukrainian name “shag”. This does not require any additional resources,” he emphasized.
After the discussion, the deputies supported the appeal: “49 voted in favor, 1 against, and 4 MPs did not vote.
