Dismissal of chairperson of board of public broadcaster in Ukraine is worrying, says OSCE Media Freedom Representative

VIENNA, 8 February 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today expressed his concern regarding the recent decision of the Supervisory Board of the public service company UA:PBC in Ukraine to dismiss Zurab Alasania from the chairmanship post at the organization.

“This speedy decision is worrying as it may negatively affect the independence and viability of the public service media in Ukraine, particularly ahead of two major elections this year,” said Désir.

On 31 January, at its regular meeting, the Supervisory Board of UA:PBC voted for the early dismissal of Alasania from the post of Chairperson of the Board due to lack of qualifications, based on allegations that some of his actions were incompatible with the mission, purpose and principles of the public broadcaster.

“Since its establishment UA:PBC has, in a relatively short period of time, undertaken important steps in transitioning from state-controlled to public service media, and achieved progress in setting standards of professional journalism, even if the reforms need to be continued,” stated Désir. “This transition has been a challenging process, particularly due to the significant budget cuts in the broadcaster’s activities over the last two years.”

“I reiterate that any expectations of the public service media to provide reliable, high-quality and informative programming are only possible when it is independent and financially sustainable,” cautioned Désir.

The Representative noted concerns raised by various prominent Ukrainian media experts and civil society organizations regarding the decision.

“I hope that the members of the Supervisory Board will ensure the independence of UA:PBC in the future and the development of a genuine public service media free of political interference,” concluded the Representative.

Désir previously raised concerns regarding the developments surrounding the public service broadcaster in Ukraine. See: https://www.osce.org/fom/351561, https://www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/397358 and https://www.osce.org/fom/357316.