OREANDA-NEWSPetro Poroshenko’s statement that residents of the eastern part of Ukraine have the right to communicate in Russian, “goes beyond all lies”, said State Duma deputy from Crimea Ruslan Balbek.

"Poroshenko goes over all faces of lies to the electorate. Probably, there was still no president of Ukraine who would so vehemently fight against Russian culture and language. And now he, like a master, is trying to throw a handout to the Russian-speaking population, they say, I will not forbid you in the kitchen behind closed communicate in Russian with the doors. Either the Ukrainian president considers himself a “living monument”, or so despises his people that he considers him incapable of distinguishing truth from unrestrained lies ”.

The utterance of the Ukrainian leader was heard in the Freedom of Speech program on ICTV. He addressed voters in eastern Ukraine, saying that no one would encroach on their right to speak Russian.

In February, the Parliament began consideration in the second reading of the draft law on state language, which provides for the use of exclusively Ukrainian in almost all spheres of life. Alexander Lukashevich, the Permanent Representative of Russia to the OSCE, commented on the language bill on. According to him, Ukrainians are de-facto divided into Ukrainian-speaking citizens and “outcasts”, whose opportunities to study, receive medical treatment and use other social services will be limited.

The statement of the current president is associated with self-PR.
The first presidential elections in Ukraine took place on March 31. None of the candidates scored 50% of the votes necessary for winning the first round. Actor Vladimir Zelensky received 30.24% of the vote, Petro Poroshenko - 15.95%. They both went to the second round, which is scheduled for April 21.