Farion lost her reinstatement case at Lviv Polytechnic

Social activist and former MP Iryna Farion has lost a lawsuit against a professor of the Ukrainian language department at Lviv Polytechnic National University. This was reported by UNN with reference to the court register.

Details

It is noted that in her lawsuit, Farion stated that her level of competence, professional skills, work as a university lecturer, as well as scientific works and legislative activities in elected positions, indicate that she consistently adheres to the principles of introducing the state language in all spheres of life in the country.

Instead, the court emphasized that it was not assessing her level of professional skills or competence. It also did not question her qualifications and contribution to the development of Ukrainian philology, linguistics, or the amount of scientific heritage.

At the same time, the court agreed with the arguments of the representatives of the Lviv university that at a time when the existence of the Ukrainian state is at stake, it is unacceptable to incite hatred, in particular to publicly humiliate soldiers because they do not speak Ukrainian

It is hard to imagine how the defenders of our country, who, for one reason or another, use the Russian language in their communication, feel when they hear that they are being evaluated in this way. When assessing the moral aspect of the plaintiff's statements, one cannot ignore the feelings of the servicemen of this category, among whom there are undoubtedly people who have been injured or disabled for life, as well as the feelings of the relatives and friends of the fallen heroes. The court has no doubt that such behavior of the plaintiff (Iryna Farion - ed.) may demotivate the country's defenders," the court concluded.

As for Farion's dismissal, the court ruled that the university had reasonable grounds to believe that the linguist's continued activities would have a detrimental effect on the institution's reputation.

When deciding to dismiss the plaintiff and applying the relevant grounds set out in the Labor Code, the defendant was based on the plaintiff's specific act and behavior, which was demonstrated to the public in the public space. In addition, the defendant had reasonable grounds to believe that the plaintiff's further employment at the university could cause irreparable reputational damage to the university, as it is obvious that the plaintiff's continued employment could be assessed by society as approval of her actions and behavior by the staff of the university

Addendum

It should be noted that the court fully agrees that the issue of language is extremely important for the existence of the state, because language is one of the most fundamental aspects of life and it is not only a tool for communication, but also a means of understanding the culture, history, traditions and identity of the people (nation).

However, the court emphasized that the court is convinced: "Iryna Farion has no direct affiliation with military service (she is not a career soldier or employee of the Armed Forces, a press officer of the Armed Forces, an expert with a professional military education, etc.

Therefore, the court noted, the servicemen and their commanders are fully capable of resolving the language issue on their own, especially since their consciousness and civic responsibility are beyond doubt in society

In addition, the court emphasized that it is impossible to compare the classroom, where language is usually taught, with a trench, dugout and barracks, "not to mention that given the situation in the country, military personnel who do not speak Ukrainian objectively have neither time nor opportunity to learn it properly.

Recall

Former Svoboda MP, linguist and teacher from Lviv, Iryna Farion, has caused a political "language" scandal: in an interview with Yanina Sokolova, she said that she "categorically rejects" the fact that some members of the Azov Brigade and the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade speak Russian, including in combat.

Farion also demanded that the military command of Ukraine "take measures" against the deputy commander of the 3rd Separate Special Forces Brigade, Maksym Zhorin, and the chief of staff of the Azov Brigade, Bohdan Krotevych, who had criticized her.

These statements caused a wave of criticism against Farion. Students of Lviv Polytechnic University, where Farion teaches, organized protests to demand her dismissal.

Later, on her Telegram account, the linguist reacted sharply to the criticism, calling the soldiers "Muscovite bulls" and publishing statements from those who sided with her.