Demand to increase punishment for language: existing fines are insufficient

Olena Ivanovska, the Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language, believes that the amount of fines for violating language legislation should be significantly increased. In her opinion, when the amounts of fines range from 3,400 to 5,800 hryvnias, this does not have a significant impact on offenders. She expressed her point of view in the program “Rendezvous” with Yanina Sokolova.

According to Ivanovska, in 2025 the number of state control measures increased by 26% compared to the previous year. This, in her opinion, is the result of citizens’ growing intolerance for violations of their language rights. Already in the first two months of 2026, about 100 inspections were carried out.

Discussing the current fines, which range from 1,700 to 11,900 hryvnias, she emphasized that initially the law prioritized educational and motivational functions, rather than punishment of violators. Ivanovska noted that violators are divided into different categories.

She emphasized: “For some violators, a warning can be applied, allowing them to correct the situation within 30 days. And there are those who deliberately and systematically disregard the law. In such cases, a fine of 3,400 or 5,800 hryvnias will not be enough to encourage compliance with the law.”

She also noted that she proposes to make amendments to the legislation that will increase the liability of legal entities, in particular, by increasing fines by 2-3 times. According to her, if the current measures do not provide the proper preventive effect, they should be strengthened. This will help achieve a level of responsibility that will become a turning point and contribute to the formation of legal discipline among citizens.