Only selected journalists invited to meeting between Yanukovych and Putin

The Internet site Ukrainska Pravda reports that the President’s Press Service specially selected journalists, with no open accreditation being announced for the meeting.  In contrast accreditation for the meeting between Ukraine’s Prime Minister Azarov and Vladimir Putin was announced a day in advance.

It is not as yet known which journalists have been invited, however the President’s new Press Secretary  Darya Chepak says that they had not known till the last moment that there would be a press occasion and themselves rang around information agencies, television channels and two newspapers – Komsomolskaya Pravda in Ukraine and Segodnya [Today].  She claims that they based their choice on the rating and coverage of the media outlets, and had not invited Internet outlets at all (this including Ukrainska Pravda – translator).

Segodnya is owned by billionaire and National Deputy from the Party of the Regions, Rinat Akhmetov, while Komsomolskaya Pravda in Ukraine belongs to business Ihor Kolomoisky.