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US CONGRESSMAN WELDON HAS CONCERNS REGARDING THE SHUTDOWN OF UKRAINE'S RADIO KONTYNENT
RFE/RL Say They Still Cannot Find An FM Station In Ukraine Willing to Rebroadcast Their Programs

By E. Morgan Williams, Editor, Action Ukraine Report
Washington, D.C., Thursday, March 18, 2004

WASHINGTON, D.C......The major freedom of the media issue concerning the rebroadcasting of the programs of Radio Liberty in Ukraine on FM radio stations has not yet been resolved. Radio Liberty has been shut out of the FM market in Ukraine due to a series of questionable actions taken by private radio stations and Ukrainian authorities at various levels.

A representative of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) stated in Washington on Wednesday at a meeting sponsored by the Action Ukraine Coalition that they have not yet been able to find an FM radio station in Ukraine willing to rebroadcast their radio programs. Station managers either tell RFE/RL they have been harassed by authorities over this issue or they are very afraid of severe harassment if they would agree to rebroadcast Radio Liberty programs.

It is not known whether the statement made by President Kuchma or the resolution passed by the Parliament earlier this week stating that actions by the government against the mass media would stop between now and the presidential election will make any noticeable difference to the way radio station managers view what is most likely to happen to them if they would agree to broadcast Radio Liberty. Many observers will be watching to see if the statements were real or only window dressing.

Curt Weldon

Congressman Curt Weldon (R-PA), co-chair of the Ukrainian Congressional Caucus, make a floor statement about this issue in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday, March 16th. The following is the complete statement by Congressman Weldon related to his concerns over the closing of radio Kontynent in Kyiv:

Honorable Curt Weldon of Pennsylvania
In the U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D. C., Tuesday, March 16, 2004

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I was dismayed to learn that on March 3, 2004, Ukrainian police shutdown Kontynent, a private radio station, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Four days before the Ukrainian authorities confiscated Kontynent's radio transmitter, the stating began broadcasting Ukrainian-language programs by Radio Liberty.

(Click on image to enlarge it)

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has played a significant role in Ukraine by providing several hours of Ukrainian-language programming to an average of six million regular listeners. RFE/RL offers comprehensive coverage of the internal political, economic and social situation in Ukraine. Such important information is not readily available to Ukrainians from their own domestic media.

Mr. Borys Kholod, the head of Ukraine's National Council for Radio and Television, claimed that the closure of Radio Kontynent was not politically motivated. Instead, Mr. Kholod maintains that Radio Kontynent had its license revoked due to Radio Kontynent's financial problems. However, Radio Kontyent has been in court for the past 3 years over the license dispute. It is my understanding that under Ukrainian law, action cannot be taken against the station until the court procedures have been completed.

Later this year, Ukraine will elect a new president. Many Ukrainians are concerned that without access to an independent media outlet, the current campaign will not be portrayed in a balanced and objective manner. I believe that Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is essential in this cause and I expressed that in my recent meeting with Ukraine's First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Volodymyr Yel'chenko.

He assured me that a resolution is forthcoming and they are currently looking for a radio station to transmit Radio Liberty in the interim. I expect to receive an update on this matter from the Ministry in the near future.

[NOTE: Our thanks to Marco Serbinsky of the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation (USUF) for sending us the floor statement by Congressman Weldon.]

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