THE PRINCIPLE OF PATRIOTISM IN THE ACTIVITIES OF OFFICIALS AS A LEGAL CATEGORY

The article is devoted to the analysis of the principle of patriotism as a legal category in the activities of civil servants, military personnel and other officials of public administration bodies. Patriotism is considered not only as an ethical norm, but also as the basis of professional activity, which includes devotion to the state, observance of national interests and performance of official duties exclusively in the interests of Ukraine. The main signs of patriotism, as a legal principle, include respect for state symbols, use of the state language, respect for national traditions, and opposition to such negative phenomena as corruption, separatism, and collaborationism. Particular attention is paid to manifestations of patriotism in the field of military service, where this principle is key to the formation of modern military ethics and ensuring the state’s defense capability. The issue of its significance for persons performing military service under a contract, including foreigners, and their motivation to act in the interests of Ukraine is considered. It is emphasized that although patriotism is a component of the legal and ethical system of state administration, its manifestations do not always have a systematic consolidation at the level of legislation. Failure to comply with this principle may lead to disciplinary, administrative or criminal liability, especially in cases of conflict of interest, violation of ethical standards or contempt for state symbols. It is concluded that thanks to positive law, patriotism is transformed from a purely moral and ethical category into a legal category, a principle in the activities of officials, which means not only a subjective feeling of devotion to the state, but also specific actions aimed at maintaining and protecting national values and interests. The legal validity of the implementation of the principle of patriotism in the activities of the specified category of persons constitutes an integral complex of legal norms, legal phenomena and processes that determine and objectify certain requirements for the behavior of officials (officials), restrictions due to their public status, and also establish legal grounds for legal responsibility for their violation or encouragement for conscientious and selfless performance of official (official) duties exclusively in the interests of the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian state.