Parliament to Hold Hearings on Freedom of Expression

News agencies report that on January 16 Verkhovna Rada will hold international parliamentary hearings on the problems faced by Ukraine in terms of information, the freedom of expression, observance of the law, and information security.

There are four points on the tentative agenda, including legal support of the freedom of expression, compliance with pertinent international commitments, information security, and denationalization of the media.

Speaker Ivan Pliushch will appear with the opening address, followed by Oleksandr Zinchenko, chairman of the parliament’s Freedom of Expression and Information Committee, and Vice Premier Mykola Zhulynsky.

Among other subjects to be broached are use of the radio frequency reserve, licensing, progress made by the National Television and Radio Council, and development of a public television network.

Reports and comments will be made by members of the committee and State Committee for Information Policy (Derzhkominformpolityky), NTRC executives, Ihor Lubchenko, head of Ukraine’s National Union of Journalists, Ombudsman Nina Korpachova, representatives of interested agencies, delegates from abroad, managers of publishing companies, editors of periodicals, and journalists.

The hearings are expected to result in duly adopted recommendations.

According to Committee Chairman Zinchenko, the planned hearings, unlike the previous ones in 1997 and 1999, will be “multifaceted,” touching on not only the legal framework, but also the fundamental principles of the Internet, particularly its electronic periodicals and so-called information wars.