National Union of Journalists fears plans afoot to dissolve it

At a press conference on Tuesday the Head of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, Ihor Lubchenko expressed his Union’s fear that the authorities are seeking to dissolve it.

Mr Lubchenko said that at the end of June the Control and Audit Department arrived to carry out a check. People from it simply turned up although warning of a check is normally given 10 days in advance.

He added that the Control and Audit Department had begun demanding documents about the ownership of the building in which the National Union is located although they do not have the right by law to do so.

Furthermore, on virtually the same days, the Control and Audit Department arrived to carry out checks at all regional branches of the Union, and had demanded documents regarding the premises in which they are located.

Ihor Lubchenko said that this is not the first time that attempts are being made to take about buildings. He added that in 1993 the High Economic Court confirmed that the National Union was occupying its premises lawfully.

He stated that there had been a plenum of the Union on Tuesday which, among other things, agreed an appeal to the authorities to stop putting pressure on the Journalists’ Union.

It also approved a call to the authorities to stop putting pressure on the media, providing specific facts of such pressure on freedom of speech.