The group of MPs from the “Ukrainian Patriots Association – UKROP” asks the Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko to take personal control of the situation with continuation of the license for one of Ukraine’s biggest broadcasters – “1+1” TV channel. This is stated in the appeal made by Oleksandr Dubinin, Taras Batenko, Iryna Konstankevych, Victor Shevchenko, Valentyn Didych, Oleksandr Shevchenko and Vitaliy Kupriy to the Head of the Prosecutor General’s Office.
According to the MPs, the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting voted unanimously for renewal and extension of the TV channel license long ago, on December 15, 2016, and there were no official complaints or remarks against the broadcaster during the application review. But today, on December 29, 2016, when the license for analogue broadcasting of “1+1” TV channel is terminated, it is not continued.
The MPs expressed surprise and concern about the fact that for some unidentified reasons the National Council is delaying the process of implementing its own decision. “We ask you, dear Yuriy Vitaliyovych, to take the situation under your personal control and to establish all the circumstances, to ascertain legality of such actions of all persons concerned, and to check immediately the signs of negligence by the officials of the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine while performing their duties,” says the document.
The appeal on the situation with renewal of “1+1” TV channel license has been also directed to the head of the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting Yuriy Artemenko. The MPs demand to provide an official explanation for the delay in continuation of permission to broadcast, to check the signs of negligence of the National Council officials and to take all necessary measures in order to prevent unlawful influence on the regulator’s decision, aimed at transferring control over “1+1” TV channel to other persons.
