Recently the Verkhovna Rada Secretariat registered the introduction of a bill on the national anthem of Ukraine initiated by People’s Deputy Volodymyr Leshchenko of the Communist faction. The draft law foresees exchanging the official melody of “Ukraine Has Not Yet Perished” for the tune of the former Ukrainian SSR anthem authored by Anton Lebedynets and his team. Another article of the draft incorporates a clause to the effect that all ceremonial events of state importance should start and end with the national anthem of Ukraine, reports Interfax-Ukraine. The proposed measure also stipulates that learning the words and music of the national anthem of Ukraine should be included in the curriculum of comprehensive high schools irrespective of the form of their ownership. It also envisions criminal responsibility for dishonoring the national anthem of Ukraine.
