By Iryna HAVRYLOVA, The Day
On May 12 the traditional parliamentary hearings on the status and prospects
of information policy in Ukraine were held in Verkhovna Rada. However,
this status was most eloquently shown by switched-off microphones and talk
of a complete "disrespect for officials" when the first persons sent their
second deputies instead. Notably, the problem of freedom of expression
did not arouse any special interest among the People's Deputies either:
the debates were conducted in a half-empty hall, and the Speaker virtually
had to force the Solons to their seats.
This time it went by without stormy reactions to the broadcast blackout:
Ivan Chyzh proposed that his personal "profound indignation" be taken as
the reaction of the entire hall. "The attempt by the Left to usurp leadership
on this issue through their committees has largely cut off discussion by
healthy sound parliamentary forces," says Deputy Ihor Ostash. However,
Ivan Chyzh informed The Day that the public part of the hearing
is far not the main event and follows the principle of "speak not, but
listen to others." In fact, the lawmakers hosted the directors of the regional
opposition mass media who tried to relate their pressing problems to Verkhovna
Rada and the government.
Thus far Parliament has displayed no wish (nor ability) to adopt effective
legislative mechanisms to protect the freedom of expression. For a petition
to the President and the Cabinet, as well as a parliamentary resolution
are not binding. However, the Committee for the Freedom of Expression intends
to show international organizations the whole truth about the situation
concerning the Ukrainian information theater.






