+ -

Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the European Union

Submitted on 2015-02-17 00:00:00

Comment on the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada’s decision to temporarily suspend the accreditation of journalists of certain Russian media outlets

---

Comment by the Foreign Ministry on the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada’s decision to temporarily suspend the accreditation of journalists and technical experts of certain Russian media outlets at Ukrainian state agencies

The openly discriminatory decision of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada not to accredit Russian media representatives at Ukrainian state agencies is a continuation of a policy to mop up the country’s media landscape, where there is no place for alternative viewpoints.

The approval of this document against the backdrop of the Normandy Four leaders’ latest decisions to fulfil the Minsk agreements makes one doubt whether Kiev is interested in finding a peaceful solution to the crisis.

The advocates of a monolingual and ideologically safe media space aim to prevent Russian media outlets from accessing official Ukrainian agencies, and to deprive journalists of an opportunity to obtain first-hand information and to ask “inconvenient” questions to Kiev authorities.

The Russian side has repeatedly drawn the attention of the international community to the Ukrainian leaders’ methods for “regulating” the media, which run counter to accepted international commitments to ensure freedom of the media.

The silence and inaction of specialised international institutions, including the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, may bring about serious consequences for freedom of speech in Ukraine and for the safe work of journalists in this country.

February 17, 2015