Mykola Tomenko: Authorities started to liquidate the Laws on the Freedom of Speech
Mykola Tomenko, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, stated that authorities started to liquidate the laws on the freedom of speech. M.Tomenko commented on adoption of the Law "On Court Fee", which establishes a court fee for the filing of appeals and court claims, and issue of documents by courts.
M.Tomenko stressed that new rates of the court fee do not protect mass media and journalists from unjustified demands of the relief due to their professional activity.
He reminded that the Law "On Amendments to several Legislative Acts of Ukraine regarding Support and Free Realization of the Human Right for the Freedom of Speech" came into force in 2003. The Law raises the rates of state duty on the statements of claim concerning moral damage depending on the amount of claim. M.Tomenko explained that if the statement of claim concerning moral damage amounted to more than 10 000 of non-taxable incomes, the plaintiff paid 10% of the amount of claim, whereas if the statement of claim amounted to 100 of non-taxable incomes, the plaintiff paid 1%. It protected mass media from closure due to the fantastic amounts of claim. "At that time, the problem of closure of mass media due to the fantastic court fees was solved. Today the Party of Regions ‘happily´ restored the old provision, so our law that protected printed mass media is no longer effective," M.Tomenko stated. He informed that the newly-adopted Law "On the Court Fee" does not rank the amounts of claim in the statement of claim concerning moral damage. Summing up, the Deputy Chairman warned, "If the President signs this Law, a whole range of local printed mass media will close."
"Local officials and law enforcement bodies might use the court claims as the instruments for closing the printed mass media," M.Tomenko summed up. "This decision shows how the authorities protect the freedom of speech."