‘Take funds away from the telethon’: Poroshenko responds to European Commission report

Source: European Solidarity

In his speech in Ukraine’s parliament on Thursday, former president Petro Poroshenko urged the government to take into the account the European Commission’s recommendations on media issues in Ukraine.

The European Commission hinted that Brussels has some concerns about the lack of media pluralism in Ukraine.

“Brussels advises gradually reinstating media diversity without waiting for the war to end. This includes giving opposition channels a voice. The EU also criticized the ‘Rada’ channel for lacking opposition views and halting parliamentary broadcasts since 2022,” said Poroshenko.

The European Commission also expressed concern over state funding for the national telethon

“We need to take funds away from the TV marathon, reform the Rada channel, and lift restrictions limiting international parliamentary activities,” Poroshenko argued.

The politician who is actively aiding the Ukrainian military also called for amendments to next year’s state budget.

“We need to redirect funds away from prosecutors, create a defense-focused budget with a special war fund, ensure frontline troops receive maximum pay, and adopt a series of proposals set forth by European Solidarity,” Poroshenko added.