Dismissal without extension: government says goodbye to Taras Kremen as language ombudsman
2 July 2025 15:57
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has officially dismissed Taras Kremen from the post of Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language. The reason was the expiration of his five-year appointment.
This was announced by the government’s representative in the Verkhovna Rada, Taras Melnychuk, reports "Komersant Ukrainian".
Kremin will finally cease to perform his duties on July 8. The day before, he actively commented on his possible dismissal, stating that he was an “independent and uncomfortable” official who repeatedly pointed out gaps in the state’s language policy and proposed initiatives that not everyone liked.
These initiatives included exams on the history of Ukraine and the basics of the Constitution for those applying for Ukrainian citizenship, as well as proposals for laws on advertising and multiple citizenship.
Before his dismissal, Kremin circulated an appeal from cultural figures calling for the extension of his powers. The open letter was signed by more than 30 well-known representatives of Ukrainian culture, including Serhiy Zhadan, Oksana Zabuzhko, Andriy Kurkov, Ada Rogovtseva, and Irma Vitovska.
Despite this, the government decided not to extend the contract.
A new language ombudsman will be appointed based on the results of an open rating vote. Currently, according to media reports, three candidates are running for the post: actor Oleksandr Zavalskyi (nominated by the Ministry of Justice), historian Pavlo Polianskyi (nominated by the Ministry of Culture), and teacher Olena Ivanivska (nominated by Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets).
