“Evening Kyiv” alleges censorship from the Mayor’s people

The acting chief editor of the newspaper “Vechirny Kyiv” [“Evening Kyiv”] Ludmila Vorobyova has spoken of censorship being used by the local authorities against municipal newspapers in Kyiv.  This claim was made on Monday in the UNIAN information agency at a press conference given by representatives of the staff of the newspaper.

““Vechirny Kyiv”, “Khreshchatyk” and “Stolychka” have turned into newspaper triplets. Looking through them, you can see that the same material and even the same photographs are printed in them. I was also told that we should write about whatever we like as long as we don’t criticize the Mayor, and that it would be better to bring the ready material before printing to be checked by one of the deputy heads”, the chief editor stated.

Ms Vorobyova noted that what the issue was that of freedom of speech in Ukraine. “If earlier there were “temnyky” [instructions on what to write about and how, and what to ignore] in writing, now they come in verbal form, and therefore nobody can prove anything.

The deputy chief editor emphasized that the staff of the newspaper wish to give many-sided coverage, and to publish different points of view. Answering a question from journalists as to whether the newspaper was ready to be privatized, the representatives of “Vechirny Kyiv” said that they were seeking compromise with the Kyiv City State Administration.