Head of state will not allow censorship, pressure on journalists

President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych

President Viktor Yanukovych called "irreversible" the process of development and expansion of press freedom in Ukraine. He said this in his reply to the letter of the International Press Institute, which contained evidence of harassment of journalists and the media.

The President testified that all of these facts had been thoroughly investigated, and serious findings were made. "I will never allow a return to censorship or any other methods of pressure on journalists," he said.

Viktor Yanukovych, according to him, is interested in "Ukraine's having as many as possible new independent TV channels." But he, as a citizen and the Guarantor of the Constitution, has no right to influence the courts that issued decisions on TV channels TVi and Channel 5.

The President stressed that he was, and remains open to the press. "I wish we would no engage in propaganda, impose our vision on journalists, but let them simply truthfully cover the life of society," he said.

UKRINFORM

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