DISINFO: The EU gives Ukraine carte blanche on repressive policy
SUMMARY
Ukraine has received a carte blanche from the European Union to pursue a repressive policy, which includes the introduction of censorship, the elimination of political opposition and the persecution of dissidents. Leading European politicians do not care about human rights abuses in post-Maidan Ukraine because they see it as the main testing ground for the containment of Russia.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin media outlets.
EU promote political freedom in Ukraine with free media and absence of censorship. The EU also issued a strong statement in July 2020 that criticised a parliamentary bill aimed at regulating the media. The statement called on Kyiv to hold public hearings on that bill and harmonise it with EU regulations. In accordance with the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, Ukraine has agreed to correlate its media legislation with European standards.
This case is referring to and claiming that the closure of three TV channels, 112 Ukraina, ZIK and NewsOne, was authorised by the European Union. In reality, the EU enquired about that move. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement that "any measures taken should be proportional to the aim" and that Brussels would be in touch with Ukrainian authorities to receive more information on the issue.
According to official Ukrainian information these channels were taken off the air on 2 February 2021 because economic sanctions were imposed on their owner Taras Kozak. They are said to be affiliated with Ukrainian pro-Kremlin politician Viktor Medvedchuk, leader of the Oppositional Platform for Life. Medvedchuk is very close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is the godfather of his daughter and is considered by many to be an agent of influence in Ukraine. Medvedchuk and his allies are trying to portray Zelenskyy as a blatant Russophobe, whom the West ordered to wipe out everything Russian in Ukraine.
The Director of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) Ivan Bakanov said in a statement the following day that the closure of these channels was “a consistent step of the Ukrainian authorities in the struggle against Russia’s hybrid aggression”. Bakanov added that Russia is also waging information warfare against Ukraine, so Kyiv has to resist it and protect the national interests. Imposing these sanctions was “another important and consistent step for that”.
The EU has been supporting Ukraine’s drive for democracy including the Revolution of Dignity (Euromaidan) in 2014 when people overthrew the then pro-Kremlin president, Viktor Yanukovych, who later fled to Russia. In response to the popular uprising, President Putin ordered the invasion of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea and instigated anti-Ukrainian separatists in the Eastern region of Donbas into revolt. As a result, the war has been going on there for more than 7 years with over 13,000 casualties.
Read more cases about 'undemocratic Ukraine' here.