22 May 2010, 18:28
Volodymyr Lytvyn: I strongly object to Gag Orders
Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, in the course of the working visit to Kharkiv on Saturday promised all the mass media representatives "investigate all the legislative initiative that would facilitate the protection of the liberty of speech and suggested their scrutiny and adoption in the Parliament in accelerated regime." "I am convinced that nobody objects to the adoption of these laws", he emphasised.
Though, V. Lytvyn stated that "there are a lot of great laws in the legislative system of Ukraine, but still they are often not implemented."
According to the Head of the Parliament "I am often jot satisfied with the evaluations in the journalists´ materials." "Though, I am against gag orders. It is necessary to live and endure a lot to understand the role paid by the journalist and printed or written language", he emphasised.
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine announced that the People´s Deputies of Ukraine often address him with the appeals to close the life broadcasting of the Verkhovna Rada sitting. "Actually it would make the Parliament more hardworking, though, the present period of our life after the elections is characterized by the lack of stability and trust, hence I am convinced that such resolution is not to be accepted", he explained.
He agreed that the majority of the mass media, especially electronic ones are in the private hands and expressed for the necessity to direct the efforts on the formation of the public broadcasting. "Still the financial conditions of our citizens are unacceptable to implement extra tax for this television, thus this mission is supposed to be fulfilled by the state", the Head of the Parliament declared.