Almost 50 people's deputies propose to decolonize the toponyms and streamline the use of geographical names in the settlements of Ukraine. The relevant bill was registered in the Verkhovna Rada on April 5.
The authors of the initiative plan to ban the naming of geographical objects that glorify, perpetuate, promote, or symbolize the occupying power. In particular:
- sights, monuments, historical and cultural sites;
- cities, dates, and events;
- figures who carried out military aggression against Ukraine and other sovereign countries;
- state totalitarian policy and practice related to the persecution of the opposition (opposition figures), dissidents, and others for criticizing the totalitarian Soviet and totalitarian Russian regimes, including Ukrainian citizens living in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine or temporarily staying in the occupying state and became victims of persecution by the Russian repressive authorities.
OPORA analysts analyzed the explanatory note to the bill. The initiators note that the adoption of the bill will reduce the Russian Federation's influence on the domestic policy of our country and the worldview of citizens, create conditions to prevent propaganda activities of people who are hostile to Ukraine, accelerate de-Sovietization and de-Russification of the country, strengthen Ukrainian spirit and morale.
The authors also talk about the illustrative European experience of renaming: Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Croatia, and Poland.
Adoption of the bill will ensure the full restoration of Ukrainian historical and national toponymy, modernize it with the names of the newest Heroes in the fight against the enemy, as well as complete the decommunization and decolonization of Ukraine.