Zelensky signs law banning book imports from Russia and Belarus

President Volodymyr Zelensky finally signed Law 2309-IX banning Russian book imports, which the Ukrainian parliament had passed a year ago.

Previously, he claimed that there were "a number of reservations" about signing the law.

I signed the law 'On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine Concerning the Establishment of Restrictions On the Import and Distribution of Published Materials Regarding the Aggressor State, the Republic of Belarus, and the Temporarily Occupied Territory of Ukraine'. I find the law correct", the president reported on his Telegram.

Zelensky also noted that the text of the law was sent to EU institutions to assess whether specific provisions of the law can affect the implementation of obligations regarding the protection of the rights of minorities, in particular linguistic ones, in the context of the European Commission's opinion on Ukraine's application for EU membership.

This week, the President explained why he was not signing the law. He says it does not comply with Article 24 of the Constitution of Ukraine regarding free speech.

On 19 June 2022, the Verkhovna Rada supported the law. In July 2022, public figures began to demand that the president sign laws that will support domestic book publishers as well as free the information space from Russian influence.

This law also tightens restrictions on the import and distribution of anti-Ukrainian publishing products and strengthens the prevention of Russia's destructive influence on the Ukrainian book market.

Zelensky explained that the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised vetoing the law as its provisions do not comply with the law regarding guarantees for the use of other languages in Ukraine and do not comply with EU human rights norms and standards.

This may complicate the process of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union.

The government sent the law to the EU side for additional assessment, and Zelensky instructed the Cabinet of Ministers to further study the issue raised in the petition, "taking into account the opinion of stakeholders, the EU's position" and inform about the results.