Independent Expert Council on Mass Media Issues launched

The start of work was announced on 8 August of an Independent Expert Council on Mass Media Issues which is to work during the election campaign.

A representative of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, present at Wednesday’s press conference, called this project unique.

The Council is a temporary public monitoring and consultative and advisory body intended to ensure the running of democratic parliamentary elections.

It will be, first and foremost, the Central Election Commission and the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council who should be guided by the Council’s recommendations in discussing and making discussions.

Television organizations which do not adhere to electoral legislation can expect to be penalized. Vitaly Shevchenko, Chair of the Council promises that they will be following what is happening in Kyiv and the regions and reacting to any infringements. He says that the Council has already passed instructions to its representatives in the regions who will follow the situation at local level where infringements could occur.

Based on information from www.telekritika.kiev.ua