Kiev , Ukraine ( CNN ) -- Several dozen protesters picketed a cultural center in Kiev , Ukraine , on Saturday as part of continued demonstrations against a controversial regional languages bill . At least 12 people have joined a hunger strike over the past two weeks in protest of the bill , introduced in May by the ruling Party of Regions . One student was hospitalized Saturday in life-threatening condition after seven days on hunger strike , according to Kiev Mohilyan Academy , where the young woman studies . In total , four protesters have been admitted to clinics for treatment over the past three days , Ukraine 's health ministry and the protest movement said . The protesters fear that the future of the Ukrainian language will be severely undermined by the bill , which aims to provide regional status to the 18 languages spoken by ethnic minorities in Ukraine , including Russian , Romanian and Tatar . Under the bill , minorities would be able to have their mother tongue taught in schools and use those languages in official documents , among other benefits . The architect of the bill -- parliament deputy from the ruling party Vadim Kolesnichenko -- says such legislation is necessary if Ukraine wants to become part of the European Union . `` We 've had many checks on the human rights issues in Ukraine by European organizations -- and they noticed many violations . Minority languages has been one of them . Our bill is written in full compliance with the European charter for minority languages , which is aimed at preserving minority languages and protecting them , '' Kolesnichenko said . The bill does n't stipulate that Ukraine may have several official state languages -- something which can be changed only through a nationwide referendum . However the opposition insists that providing even a regional status to the Russian language -- widely spoken in 13 regions of the country by roughly 20 million people -- would severely undermine the development of the Ukrainian language . The protesters fear that should the use of Russian be legalized , nobody would want to learn Ukrainian . Parliament sessions in recent months on the controversial bill have erupted in fistfights between Ukraine 's legislators as deputies opposing the bill clashed with those from the ruling party . Earlier this month , the bill passed the second hearing in the Rada with 248 deputies voting for it . The opposition claims the vote was rigged and called on President Viktor Yanukovich not to ratify the bill and prevent it from becoming law . The president has n't yet responded to those demands . `` We issued an ultimatum to the authorities to abolish this bill . There has been no intention or even a hint from President Yanukovich that he could do so . That 's why our hunger strike would continue for weeks or months -- as long as we are alive , '' said Oleksandr Mishura , a member of the protest movement . Valeriy Shevchenko traveled to Kiev on Saturday all the way from a village in Western Ukraine to participate . `` We have to defend our language and our culture -- the two things most dear to us , '' he said . While protesters continue their standoff , the government is producing few comments on the matter . The final say is with Yanukovich , who is still weighing whether to put his signature on the bill , but promises to respect all sides of the conflict . But Ukraine 's leader already said that if the crisis is not resolved , a dissolution of parliament and an early ballot can not be ruled out .
protests , including a hunger strike , have been ongoing for the past two weeks . The bill aims to give regional status to the official language spoken by minorities in Ukraine . Protesters say the Ukrainian language will be undermined by the bill . The bill 's sponsor says the legislation is necessary if Ukraine wants to join EU .