Zelensky says television airwaves cannot be monopolized by people with pro-Russia views
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said monopolization of television airwaves, especially by people with pro-Russia views, is impermissible during war.
"During war, any people who do not have a pro-Ukraine outlook, cannot monopolize a Ukrainian [TV] channel. We have to get to the bottom of this," Zelensky said in Boryspil on Wednesday, responding to a question about the NewsOne TV channel, which had intended to conduct a TV hookup with Russian TV channels.
Zelensky said the issue would be legislatively handled after early parliamentary elections.
"There will be no information monopolies [in Ukraine]," the head of state said, adding "We will not allow people like [ex- head of the Presidential Administration under ex-President Leonid Kuchma Viktor] Medvedchuk to monopolize our Ukrainian TV airwaves."
As reported, a TV linkup between NewsOne and a banned Russian TV channel, Rossiya 1, had been announced for July 12. NewsOne on July 8 said it had cancelled the linkup because of "physical threats made to the channel, its journalists and their families."