Parliament takes first step towards ensuring unimpeded media coverage of elections
On 20 December the Verkhovna Rada adopted as a base Resolution № 9311 on ensuring the unimpeded activities of the media during the 2012 election campaign.
The draft Resolution envisages the Cabinet of Ministers taking measures to stop checks on media outlets by executive bodies and State institutions during the period of the elections. It also recommends cancelling the timetable for checks on media outlets, and for the National Broadcasting Council to cancel its scheduled checks.
As reported, on 23 September this year the Verkhovna Rada rejected draft Law No. 2782 on amendments to laws which would make it impossible for checks to be carried out on media outlets during the election campaign. The Party of the Regions and Communists refused to support it..
That draft law proposed to place a moratorium on checks of the media by regulatory bodies during the election campaign. The Parliamentary Committee on Freedom of Speech and Information had supported the draft law, which is reasonably standard.