On Wednesday, February 12, the Scientific and Practical Club of the Ukrainian Bar Association hosted an online event titled "Dual (Multiple) Citizenship in Ukraine: Constitutional Opportunities and Risks of Introduction."

The participants of the discussion addressed a topic that has gained particular relevance due to the full-scale Russian invasion and new challenges to national security and sovereignty. Recent changes in Ukrainian legislation, notably the first reading of draft law No. 11469, have opened the possibility of introducing the institution of multiple citizenship. The demand for the regulation of multiple citizenship in Ukraine is growing both within the country and among its citizens abroad. Furthermore, the Constitutional Court of Ukraine has been considering the official interpretation of Article 4 of the Constitution, which guarantees single citizenship, for several years.

The discussion was moderated by Ivan Horodyskyy, Vice President of the UBA, PhD in Law, Managing Partner of Dexis Partners, and Serhiy Verlanov, attorney at law, PhD in law.

The speaker was Olena Boryslavska, Professor, Doctor of Law, Head of the Department of Constitutional Law at the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. Ms. Boryslavska is also a member of the Scientific Advisory Council of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine and participated as an engaged scientific expert in the case of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine on the official interpretation of Article 4 of the Constitution of Ukraine.

Olena Boryslavska shared her expert assessment of the potential consequences of introducing multiple citizenship for the Constitution of Ukraine. She emphasized the necessity of a constitutional approach to examining this issue and explained the importance of carefully analyzing the risks for the state.

The main topics of the discussion included the analysis of the current practice of dual citizenship in Ukraine and international experience on the matter. Olena Boryslavska presented the historical evolution of the institution of citizenship, noting that multiple citizenship no longer raises significant legal issues in many European countries. However, this issue remains controversial in Ukraine due to the existing constitutional provision of single citizenship.

Special attention was given to the legal consequences for individuals with dual citizenship, as well as the risks to national security that may arise in the context of armed aggression. The participants discussed possible options for regulating the situation, including at the level of the Constitutional Court, which is currently considering relevant matters.

The following individuals participated in the discussion:

• Roman Radeiko, Chair of the UBA Section of Scientists and Educators, PhD in Law, CEO of OnlineLawSchool;
• Yuriy Bilousov, Member of the Board of the UBA Section of Scientists and Educators, Professor of the Department of Civil Law and Procedure of Khmelnytsky University of Management and Law named after L. Yuzkov.

The event marked an important step in the development of scientific and practical dialogue among lawyers, scholars, and practitioners, which, according to the organizers, will continue in the future for further discussion of relevant legal issues.

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