Ruslan Martsinkiv said that refugees from other regions of Ukraine should speak Ukrainian in Ivano-Frankivsk, not the “language of the occupier”, and “not forget that they are guests”
Otherwise, people who address in Russian are grouped near churches and subjected to “affectionate Ukrainianisation”.
He said this in a video message posted on his Facebook page.
“When people address you in Russian in a shop, address you in Ukrainian or don’t serve you. I know a comrade of mine who, if they don’t switch to Ukrainian, doesn’t serve in the shop. This is how we will create this affectionate Ukrainianization. We will go back to the churches, teach them the Ukrainian language. And it will be an affectionate Ukrainization,” said Matsinkiv.
At the same time, the official asked to be careful in their statements to “avoid hatred in social networks”.