Pressure Mounts on Chernivtsi Opposition Press

There is a difference between this and other local periodicals, of course, because Chas openly supports presidential candidate Yevhen Marchuk and carries features criticizing the oblast state administration - and the rest of the top officials.

Another Chernivtsi newspaper, Doba (Epoch) has no liabilities toward the print shop and does not support Yevhen Marchuk, but nor does it support the current President, particularly his local appointees. The results of such a policy were quick to display themselves: a slander case initiated by the Chernivtsi garrison's military prosecutor, Col. L. Melnykov. Doba reporter Halyna Tarasiuk tried to sort out the problems forcing a young conscript to desert. The claim was filed in April, but nothing happened. Local analysts believe that the event coincided in time with Doba lashing out at the oblast state administration.

According to Doba editor Volodymyr Stepanets, the newspaper responded to such "sanctions" with an editorial describing exactly how the local state administration's head of the information committee "managed" local postal workers, instructing them to get people to subscribe for the "right kind" of periodicals campaigning for the "right" presidential candidate (the article's title: "Will there be a Ghetto for 'Unwelcome' Newspapers in Chernivtsi?").

Meanwhile, Chas is firmly resolved to continue appearing.