The law on media in Ukraine (No. 2693-d) was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada.
UNIAN reports that 299 members of the Verkhovna Rada supported the law.
Oleksiy Goncharenko, a People's Deputy of Ukraine from European Solidarity, discusses this on his Telegram channel.
According to him, the law received support from 299 members of the parliament.
Goncharenko noted that the amendment regarding media use during elections was not approved.
What is known about Law No. 2693-d “On Media” in Ukraine
UNIAN reported that on August 30, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved the draft law “On Media” (No. 2693-d) in its first reading. 233 members of the parliament voted in favor.
Yevheniya Kravchuk, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy, stated that the media bill's first reading approval was a step towards Ukraine's accession to the European Union and the establishment of clear and modern media market rules.
She mentioned that the European Commission's conclusion, prepared by experts from the Council of Europe, is expected in September. After that, the committee will consider the amendments and vote in the second reading.
The MP highlighted specific provisions of the bill, including:
- Prohibition of media from occupying states;
- Mechanism for combating hostile OTT services;
- Procedure for forming blacklists;
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- Reduced regulation of procedural issues of the National Council;
- More liberal regulation of online media;
- Each industry having its own mutual response body.
There is no reduction in the quota for the Ukrainian language on the air in the bill, Kravchuk pointed out.
The bill specifies measures to address media law violations, such as fines, license cancellation, and temporary bans on media distribution by decision of the National Council or the court.
The bill also states that media with opaque ownership structures or not meeting legal requirements must cease to exist.
Kravchuk later mentioned that the “On Media” bill had been in the Verkhovna Rada for 10 years and expressed hope for its adoption in the near future.
She emphasized the importance of a specific section in the bill, which addresses stricter content restrictions against Russian propaganda during periods of aggression.
The National Police is already blocking websites, seemingly not waiting for the “Borodyansky Law.”
The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine expressed concerns that the media law may reflect negatively on Zelensky, possibly painting him as a dictator.
A look into the draft law “On Media”: potential risks and opportunities
