12:25 01.04.2016

Ukraine's culture ministry seeks ban on anti-Ukrainian books from Russia

1 min read
Ukraine's culture ministry seeks ban on anti-Ukrainian books from Russia

Vice-Premier and Culture Minister Viacheslav Kyrylenko insists on authorizing Ukraine's State TV and Radio Broadcasting Committee, customs and security agencies to withdraw all Russian-printed books with anti-Ukrainian content from sale in Ukraine.

"Legislations needs to be amended to provide state control functions to the State TV and Radio Broadcasting Committee, customs and security agencies, and other ministries to ensure the complete withdrawal <…> of all booklets and publications of Russian origin that do not recognize Ukraine's state sovereignty and incite ethnic hatred," Kyrylenko said during the government's report in parliament on Friday.

Such draft resolutions are almost ready, he added.

Kyrylenko says that the Culture Ministry jointly with State TV and Radio Broadcasting Committee suggests the introduction of the so-called "automatic licensing" and explained the idea. "As soon as there is a report that a book published by a Russian publishing house and aimed at inciting ethnic hatred and undermining Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity has crossed the border, the produce should be seized and the publishing house should be sanctioned, and prohibited from selling its products in Ukraine."

He said a tentative list of Russian publishing houses has already been drawn up.

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