08 September 2009, 15:13
Opening the round table "Activity of mass media during the period of the presidential campaign 2010" that was held today in the Parliament on the occasion of International Day of Journalists Solidarity, M. Tomenko declared that on the eve of the residential campaign it is necessary to discuss vital problems of the clear mass media work.
M. Tomenko reminded that he was one of the initiators of the Resolution "On provision of the free-of-obstacles mass media work during the elections period 2009" that was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada in summer. According to it from the 19th of October National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting Matters, State Tax Inspectorate and other supervising bodies are supposed to stop all the monitoring for the mass media until the presidential campaign finishes.
Still M. Tomenko declared that there exist series of problems that are to be solved until the election campaign starts.
The first problem according to the Vice-Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is how to provide legal character of election campaign.
Vice-Chairman has noticed that today many of politicians started their pre-elections campaign illegally, de-facto candidate for the post of the President of Ukraine: V. Yanukovych, A. Yatseniuk, I. Bogoslovska who post their propaganda in Russian language as according to the article 35 of the Law "On Advertising", it should be conducted only in Ukrainian language.
According to M. Tomenko there is great number of problems concerning so called informational publications, or as it is sometime, as called "fighting papers".
"The second problem is connected probably with the most painful problem: direct political advertising on television", - stressed the Vice-Chairman.
M. Tomenko suggested that in such a cases one should use the effective law "On Elections of the People´s Deputies" where in article 71 it is said that mass media are responsible for the content of pre-elections discussion and propaganda in cases: of spread of any information that contains calls for the liquidation of Ukraine independence, changes in constitutional system through forced way, war propaganda, racial chauvinism etc.
"Scrutinizing the third problem I also suggest use the experience of the previous elections campaign and form expert council in order to prevent or help in solving problematic situations connected with mass media activity", - M. Tomenko announced.
The fourth problem according to M. Tomenko is the necessity to organize the corresponding regulations for the television debate holding in the first round as well as in the second round as are presupposed by the law on elections.
Summing up, The Vice-Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine declared that "as it is envisaged long and complicated election campaign everything possible should be done in order mass media are not made hostage of this elections campaign".