Staff of Chernivtsi TBA TV Channel says channel being deliberately destroyed, seeks protection from EU ambassador
Kyiv, August 6 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The staff of the Chernivtsi TBA Regional Television Channel has sent an open letter to Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Jan Tombinski with the request to help protect the channel, which they say the authorities are trying to destroy.
"A tough and open fight between the authorities and the independent media is currently starting in Ukraine, a state located in the heart of Europe. The authorities are starting to get rid of 'undesirables' ahead of the presidential election. Unfortunately, our television channel is one of the first hit by repression and censorship," reads an address to the EU ambassador, which was passed to journalists at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Tuesday.
The letter states that the channel started experiencing "physical violence" when on July 23 a fire broke out in the building of the TV center, which stores the equipment of four local channels, although only the equipment of the TBA channel was damaged.
"Since then, state agencies have been doing everything possible to ensure that TBA does not resume broadcasting," the channel's team said.
In addition, the letter points to the unwillingness of local authorities to communicate with the staff of the TV channel and the ignoring of their problems, as well as a letter sent by regional council deputies to the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting with the request not to extend the license to the private TV channel.
"Not even trying to hide their true motives, the deputies ask the national council to transfer the television company to the state," reads the letter to Tombinski.
In this regard, the TBA staff asked the European diplomat not to remain indifferent to these events but try to intervene in the situation.