The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ and EFJ) have called on the Ukrainian government to include representatives of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) in all groups and events related to the implementation of the recently adopted law On Media. The decision to start the corresponding campaign was made on January 13 during a meeting of the EFJ Executive Committee in Brussels, in which NUJU President Sergiy Tomilenko took part in an online format.
The EFJ is the largest journalist organization in Europe, which unites national journalist unions, professional unions, and associations of journalists of European countries.
Speaking at a meeting of the EFJ Executive Committee, Sergiy Tomilenko thanked the International and European Federations of Journalists for their strong support that the Ukrainian journalist community has received from European partners – journalist federations, national unions, and international organizations – since the first days of full-scale Russian aggression.
“It was this support, this manifestation of solidarity that allowed the NUJU to deploy an effective network of Journalist Solidarity Centers, which currently work in six regions of Ukraine. The centers assist requests from hundreds and thousands of Ukrainian and international journalists and editors. The help of the European colleagues is extremely important in the conditions of the war that Russia has unleashed against Ukraine,” Sergiy Tomilenko emphasized.
The participants in the meeting of the EFJ Executive Committee were interested in the experience of supporting local media and newspapers in the de-occupied territories of Ukraine, which was initiated by the NUJU. They conveyed their admiration and sincere congratulations to colleagues who are resuming their professional activities and to the NUJU, which is finding charity partners and financing the publication of the first issue of newspapers that are being revived in the de-occupied territories. Currently, with the support of the NUJU, 15 publications have already been revived, several more are yet to be revived soon. International colleagues are trying to find the resources necessary for the support of journalists and media companies in Ukraine so that such an assistance was long-lasting and systemic.
At the same time, the EFJ expressed concern about the consequences of the adoption of the law On Media in Ukraine, which dramatically changes media legislation, significantly increasing the powers of the national media regulator – the National Council for Television and Radio Broadcasting. European colleagues show full support for the position of the NUJU, which advocates the interests of thousands of Ukrainian journalists and mass media companies, drawing attention to certain risks associated with the introduction of the law and the fact that the national media regulator in Ukraine is not politically independent.
The EFJ Executive Committee approved a proposal to launch a campaign by the IFJ and the EFJ to encourage the government of Ukraine to involve the NUJU and its representatives in all activities related to the implementation of the law.
Full solidarity with the NUJU and Ukrainian journalists was expressed by the presidents of the EFJ, Maja Sever, and the IFJ, Dominique Pradalie, members of the executive committee from the Danish Union of Journalists Allan Boye Thulstrup, from the Italian Federation of Journalists Anna Del Freo.
Jim Bumela, the former long-term president of the IFJ, stated solidarity with Ukrainian journalists and the need for international protection of journalists’ rights and freedom of speech from excessive interference by politicians in various countries.
The EFJ management and leaders of journalists’ associations of leading European countries finally expressed their full support for the NUJU and assured solidarity with the Ukrainian journalist community.
NUJU Information Service
