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Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

Chief editor of the Zaporizka Sich is fired

17 July, 1999 - 00:00

Kostiantyn Sushko, chief editor of the all-Ukraine newspaper Zaporizka Sich , was demoted by the last session of Zaporizhzhia's City Council as its founder. Why? First because of «a single instance of breach of work discipline, namely a belated submission of the newspaper's statute for consideration by the Session,» also for a belated response to Pavlo Baulin, MP, notifying him that his article would not be published.

«I am perfectly sure that I was fired on factitious grounds because I did submit the statute, but the presidium postponed its deliberation,» Kostiantyn Sushko told The Day and went on, «For a month they did not say I had done anything wrong. Now about Pavlo Baulin. His article was turned down because it implied breaches of Ukraine's territorial integrity. In other words, I found myself between hell and high water: the law on the status of P eople's D eputies said I had to publish everything any MP had to say, and the law on the press read that the media could not be used to disseminate calls for breaching national territorial integrity. I asked for legal help but the City Council session fired me without any legal findings or bothering to study the issue at greater length. I will further act in accordance with the laws of Ukraine.»Kostiantyn Sushko stated that he was appointed deputy to his former deputy (now acting chief editor). At a news conference and in a private conversation afterward the man avoided the topic of political retribution. Journalists, however, believe that the local authorities simply found him unwelcome as chief editor and acted accordingly. At the news conference, Yuri Botner, editor of the independent newspaper I ndustrialnoe Zaporozhye , noted that «this is the beginning of a campaign against the press. Similar measures will be taken with regard to other newspapers. Those found unwanted will be removed, regardless of being editors, deputies or reporters.»

Kostiantyn Sushko, chief editor of the all-Ukraine newspaper Zaporizka Sich , was demoted by the last session of Zaporizhzhia's City Council as its founder. Why? First because of «a single instance of breach of work discipline, namely a belated submission of the newspaper's statute for consideration by the Session,» also for a belated response to Pavlo Baulin, MP, notifying him that his article would not be published.

«I am perfectly sure that I was fired on factitious grounds because I did submit the statute, but the presidium postponed its deliberation,» Kostiantyn Sushko told The Day and went on, «For a month they did not say I had done anything wrong. Now about Pavlo Baulin. His article was turned down because it implied breaches of Ukraine's territorial integrity. In other words, I found myself between hell and high water: the law on the status of P eople's D eputies said I had to publish everything any MP had to say, and the law on the press read that the media could not be used to disseminate calls for breaching national territorial integrity. I asked for legal help but the City Council session fired me without any legal findings or bothering to study the issue at greater length. I will further act in accordance with the laws of Ukraine.»Kostiantyn Sushko stated that he was appointed deputy to his former deputy (now acting chief editor). At a news conference and in a private conversation afterward the man avoided the topic of political retribution. Journalists, however, believe that the local authorities simply found him unwelcome as chief editor and acted accordingly. At the news conference, Yuri Botner, editor of the independent newspaper I ndustrialnoe Zaporozhye , noted that «this is the beginning of a campaign against the press. Similar measures will be taken with regard to other newspapers. Those found unwanted will be removed, regardless of being editors, deputies or reporters.»

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