In Ukraine, from today, July 16, all Internet resources must have a basic start page in Ukrainian, which will open by default for Ukrainian users. The law on ensuring the functioning of the Ukrainian language as a state language, adopted by the Verkhovna Rada on April 25, 2019, enters into force.
This was reported by the Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language, Taras Kremin.
"Starting July 16, Internet resources must have a basic start page in the Ukrainian language and inform citizens of Ukraine of socially important information in the state language. In addition, this applies to online representations, including websites, pages in social networks, state authorities, local self-government bodies, enterprises, institutions and organizations of state and communal ownership, mass media registered in Ukraine, as well as economic entities, that sell goods and services in Ukraine," said Kremin.
He noted that the version of the sites in the state language should have no less information in terms of volume and content than the foreign language versions.
The norm does not apply to mass media sites published exclusively in Crimean Tatar, English, other languages of the indigenous peoples of Ukraine, and official languages of the European Union.
Also, from July 16, user interfaces must be in the state language — this is all information on devices and equipment.
Violators face fines. For the first violation, from 3.4 thousand to 8.5 thousand hryvnias, for the second — up to 11.9 thousand hryvnias.