Greetings to <I>The Day</I>

Roland H. SMITH, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to Ukraine:

I am sincerely happy to congratulate The Day on its fifth anniversary. A fresh issue appears on my desk every day and I am always glad to see it. I have obtained much information from your newspaper about the economic, political, and public life of your country. Of course, I do not always agree with views expressed by the newspaper, but this is only natural. However, I do hope that you will make a special point of objectively and properly covering the proposals of all major political parties and their leaders’ speeches. We are always prepared for cooperation with Ukrainian colleagues and for contacts with journalists so that we can discuss various aspects of bilateral relations or European integration processes as well as the role played by the media in a democratic society.

Allow me to wish this newspaper to always have much good news on its pages. And I wish the journalists and readers every success in the development of Ukraine.

Pascal FIESCHI, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to Ukraine:

This newspaper is marking its fifth anniversary, presently recognized as one of the most prestigious publications in today’s Ukraine, which is at a transition stage in its history. The Day owes this recognition to the high professional level of its staff. A guarantee of the popularity of any periodical is the independent status of its journalists which, in turn, is based on the freedom of the press as such. Without the free press and television there can be no democratic society. In France, this was attained after a long struggle, and the law on the freedom of the press from July 29, 1871 coincided with the assertion of the democratic republic, crowning a long and complicated process. Today, I wish the free and independent press to make its contribution in the process of Ukraine’s quickest possible and complete incorporation into the family of European democracies.

Viktor CHERNOMYRDIN, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Ukraine, special representative of the President of the Russian Federation for the development of trade and economic relationships with Ukraine:

Please accept my sincere greetings on the fifth anniversary of your newspaper that has the reputation of a respected and authoritative publication in Ukraine. Diversified information concerning the processes underway in Ukraine and its activities in the international arena along with a multitude of interesting features dealing with Ukrainian history and culture, carried by The Day, ensures it a broad readership. I hope that the high professional level of your journalists and the determination to offer unbiased assessments of facts and events in Russian- Ukrainian relations will help the latter’s progress. Allow me to wish your staff the best of creative success, inspiration, and new interesting topics.

Carlos PASCUAL, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Ukraine: “

I am pleased to congratulate The Day on the occasion of its fifth anniversary. As someone who has followed developments in Ukraine for some time, first at the National Security Council in Washington and now as ambassador, I have often turned to The Day to read about the latest political, economic and social developments in this country. Over the years, I have been frequently impressed by the range of news and opinion that have appeared on the pages of the newspaper. One of The Day’s unique attributes is that it is published in three languages, Ukrainian, Russian and English. As far as I know, no other daily newspaper in Ukraine strives to reach out to its readers in this manner. In this way I believe that The Day has sought to live up to and practice the motto that appears on its front-page masthead, “an all-Ukrainian national daily.” On this occasion I would like to thank the editor and staff of Den’ for publishing the views and opinions of various American and US government officials, including my own.

This kind of coverage has allowed us to share with Ukrainian readers our views and positions on a wide range of US-Ukraine bilateral relations. We remain open to maintaining close ties with the staff of Den’ as Ukraine continues on its reform path and integration in Euro-Atlantic structures. In closing I wish the entire staff of The Day a happy anniversary and offer this reminder: the right of people to speak out through a free press is a hallmark of a democratic society. In this respect it is my hope and expectation that The Day with continue to strive to play a key role in Ukraine’s desire to establish itself as a democratic and European state.”

Anatoly ZLENKO, Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs:

“Five years have passed, day by day, since Den’/The Day was founded! Over this period, your publication has already become one of the best established and influential Ukrainian media outlets, a true gem of the national press. What singles out Den’/The Day against the backdrop of other publications is that it knows the price of words and carefully weighs its options. In my opinion, true journalism is a concentrated expression of freedom and responsibility. Den’/The Day has managed to find the best combination of these key features under Ukrainian conditions. But the main thing is not even this but the fact that it is always interesting to read your newspaper. I am personally pleased that Den’/The Day gives careful and very competent coverage of all that occurs in the foreign political sphere. In this respect, you have formed a really professional team, to which I would like to send my special greetings.”