National Assembly agrees, bill allowing citizens to have multiple citizenships is about to become a reality

On December 17, the Verkhovna Rada ( Parliament ) of Ukraine passed the first reading of the bill on multiple citizenship in this Eastern European country with 247 votes in favor.

The Parliament of Ukraine. (Global Images Ukraine)

The bill, submitted by President Volodymyr Zelensky, would allow citizens forced to leave Ukraine due to the war to return home and retain their citizenship, The Kyiv Independent reported.

In addition, the new law will expand opportunities and simplify procedures for obtaining Ukrainian citizenship for certain groups of foreigners and stateless persons.

The new law also establishes grounds for stripping citizenship, such as for those who receive a Russian passport or serve in the Russian Armed Forces.

This dual citizenship regime will not apply to persons with Russian citizenship or citizenship of a country that does not recognize the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.

The bill still needs to be passed by the National Assembly on a second reading and signed by the President before it becomes law. The legislature also asked the Constitutional Court to review the text.

The Eastern European country’s current law stipulates that Ukrainians can only hold one nationality. The new law is aimed at improving the country’s alarming demographic situation, experts say.

Since Russia launched its military campaign in Ukraine (February 2022), millions of people have left the country to escape the conflict.

In the submission accompanying the new bill, President Zelensky also said that it is necessary to call on Ukrainians to return to their country as well as encourage ethnic Ukrainians to officially obtain citizenship.

According to United Nations data, Ukraine's population has decreased by about 10 million people since February 2022 and is at risk of decreasing from 42 million in 2022 to 25.2 million by 2051.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/ukraine-quoc-hoi-nhat-tri-du-luat-cho-phep-cong-dan-co-da-quoc-tich-sap-thanh-hien-thuc-297794.html