The author of the petition to ban books from Russia commented on Zelensky’s answer

The author of the petition on the urgent signing of the law on the protection of cultural space, in particular, the ban on the import and distribution of publishing products from Russia and Belarus, Taras Shamayda, reacted to the official response of President Volodymyr Zelenskyi to this petition.

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“Volodymyr Zelenskyi’s response to my petition “To protect the Ukrainian cultural space from the “Russian mira” – to immediately sign the Law 2309-IX on the prohibition of the import and distribution of publishing products of the “aggressor state” – is frankly disappointing“, Shamayda wrote on Facebook.

He stressed that the president had 15 days to sign this law or veto it, but he did neither.

“And so on June 20, 2023, on the eve of the opening of the Book Arsenal in Kyiv and exactly one year after the law was submitted for his signature, the president responded to the petition. Unfortunately, this answer leaves a lasting impression that it was prepared by people who are directly influenced by lobbyists of Russian interests“, Shamayda added.

The author of the petition noted that in his answer, Zelensky mentions the comments of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice, but forgets to mention the positive conclusions on the draft law of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy, the Book Institute, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Finance, the specialized committee of the parliament, and ignores calls to sign the law from Ukrainian publishers, writers, expert organizations, public and political figures.

“How does anyone’s comments invalidate your obligation to sign the Laws?! The third part of Article 94 of the Constitution of Ukraine defines: if the President has not signed the law within 15 days or has not returned it to the Parliament with comments, “the law is considered approved by the President of Ukraine and must be signed and officially promulgated“, Shamayda addresses the president.

On June 19, 2022, the Verkhovna Rada approved Law No. 2309-IX “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine Regarding the Establishment of Restrictions on the Import and Distribution of Publishing Products Concerning the Aggressor State, the Republic of Belarus, the Temporarily Occupied Territory of Ukraine.” The next day it was handed over to the president for signature.

In July 2022, cultural figures began to demand that the president sign laws that would support domestic book publishers and free the information space from Russian influence. The initiative was supported by writers Serhii Zhadan, Tamara Gorikha Zernya, artist Irma Vitovska, ex-head of the Institute of National Remembrance Volodymyr Vyatrovych, publisher Anton Martynov and others.

On May 16 of this year, Taras Shamayda registered a petition on the president’s website demanding to sign the law banning the import and distribution of publishing products from Russia and Belarus. On May 30, she won the required number of votes.

On June 20, Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to a petition and a flash mob on social networks urging him to introduce a ban on the import and distribution of books from Russia and Belarus.

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