The Kyiv Independent Media Trade Union demands to change the procedure of accreditation to the first press conference of Interior Minister Vassyl Tsushko, as it does not correspond to the current legislation.
According to the press-service of the media trade-union, today it sent an official letter to the Minister, demanding to stop hampering the work of journalists and calling on to change the procedure of the accreditation to the Minister’s press-conference. The media trade union also demands to inform the society how and why introduced the illegal procedure of the accreditation.
Thus, on 12 March the official web site of the Interior Ministry posted an information, according to which a journalist may penetrate to the Minister’s press conference, scheduled for 17 March, only on the basis of an official inquiry from a mass media chief. In addition, the accreditation finishes earlier than a day before the event.
According to the media trade union, the Interior Ministry violates article 26 of the Law of Ukraine “On Printed Mass Media in Ukraine”, as this procedure of accreditation violates the right of citizens on a free access to the information, and hampers journalists to fulfill their professional duties. Thus, freelancers and journalists, whose chiefs are on vacation or went on a business mission, or are in hospital, will not be able to attend Tsushko’s press conference.
