Ombudsperson Nina Karpacheva cautions against media's denationalization

February 25, 2005.

    *** The news agency Ukrinform is playing an important role in securing Ukrainian citizens' constitutional right to information, particularly with regard to the Ukrainian State's policies, Ukrainian Ombudsperson Nina Karpacheva told.
    Ms Karpacheva stated her categorical disagreement with plans to denationalize Ukrinform and some other media.
    As she said, she intends to raise this issue during a meeting with President Viktor Yushchenko, on which a tentative agreement has been reached.
    Commenting on the national news agency's status, which Vice Premier Mykola Tomenko would like to see as either being converted into a "small agency" or denationalized, Nina Karpacheva said that if the Vice Premier's scheme was accepted the Ukrainian State would lose a powerful channel for providing Ukrainian citizens with comprehensive, not purposefully selected, information.
    Besides, she said, this would drastically limit Ukrainian citizens' right to timely receiving information.
    The Ukrinform agency, she noted, while informing the public about state policies and covering positions of Ukrainian statesmen, has always offered opportunities for absolutely different political forces having their say, has provided legal information and informed the population about latest changes in Ukrainian legislation.
    Anyhow, Nina Karpacheva said, I can say that Ukrinform journalists, while getting relatively small fees, as compared with their counterparts from non-state-run media, have secured citizens' right to information very professionally and with a great degree of patriotism.