May 26, 2011
PRESS RELEASE
UWC CALLS ON UKRAINIAN GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES TO REVIEW CANCELLATION
OF UKRAINIAN LANGUAGE PROGRAMMING ON RADIO UKRAINE INTERNATIONAL
On May 26, 2011, the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) expressed grave concern in a letter to President Viktor Yanukovych, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Volodymyr Lytvyn, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and the Head of the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine, Yuriy Plaksiuk, over the May 25, 2011 decision of the General Director of the National Radio Company of Ukraine to shut down the Ukrainian language section of Radio Ukraine International.
In its letter, the UWC pointed out that Radio Ukraine International is broadcasting in the Ukrainian language, providing a listening audience of more than 20 million in the Ukrainian diaspora with information about life in Ukraine and the lives of Ukrainians beyond its borders. With its daily broadcasts, the Ukrainian language section of Radio Ukraine International helps meet the informational and spiritual needs of the worldwide Ukrainian community, an integral part of the Ukrainian nation. It also helps promote Ukraine’s image as a European state with enormous intellectual, scientific, technological and educational potential. The UWC also referred to key state documents setting out Ukraine’s commitment to meeting the national, cultural and language needs of Ukrainians living outside of Ukraine.
The UWC appealed to Ukraine’s government authorities to cancel the decision to shut down the Ukrainian language section of Radio Ukraine International due to its importance as a source of information on national issues for Ukrainians living abroad.
“The UWC calls on all its member organizations to support our appeal to the Ukrainian government authorities to allow the Ukrainian language section of Radio Ukraine International to continue its programming,” said UWC President Eugene Czolij.
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Тhe full text of the UWC’s letter |
