Ukrainian parliament passes first reading of contorversial Media Law amendments in
Source: Yevheniia Kravchuk/Facebook
Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada has approved the first reading of Bill No. 12111, which introduces amendments to the law “On Media”. Supported by 248 MPs, the policy aims to overhaul the media regulations and bring in oversight mechanisms during wartime.
Co-author and Deputy Chair of the Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy, Yevheniia Kravchuk, claimed the policy comes as a natural development of Ukraine’s media reform efforts, now focusing on practical collaboration among industry stakeholders.
Kravchuk names the bill’s primary provisions:
- Independence for the National Council:
- The National Council for Television and Radio Broadcasting will gain independence from government influence in its regulatory work.
- Appointment procedures for its members by Parliament will be streamlined.
- Expanded Media Autonomy:
- Media outlets will receive greater self-regulatory powers when amending their registry information.
- Streamlined Licensing and Registration:
- The bill fixes up inconsistencies in the licensing and registration process for media outlets.
- Enhanced Content Regulation:
- The National Council will gain new authority to block Russian media services and evaluate online media content applying for registration during wartime.
- Public Broadcasting Involvement:
- The Public Broadcasting Company may participate in establishing a joint regulatory body for the media sector.
The amendments aim to align Ukraine’s media landscape with European standards while strengthening national security through tighter controls on potentially harmful content during wartime.
Amendments to Ukraine’s enforcement proceedings legislation, initiated by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, have entered into force. Among other measures, the reform provides for the automated lifting of attachments on bank accounts immediately after debts in enforcement proceedings have been fully settled. The main practical benefit for citizens is the complete elimination of the need to contact an enforcement officer in person and wait for paper decisions once the debt has been paid.
The 157th Separate Mechanized Brigade has received another batch of supplies as part of Rinat Akhmetov’s Steel Front military initiative. This time, the military received seven quad bikes and four mobile shower and bath units.
In my previous column, I wrote about social innovations in Ukraine. Those innovations are part of civic resilience and the democratization of security, which Europe is paying close attention to right now. The EU is trying to work out how to spread responsibility for its own security across society as a whole, rather than leaving it to institutions alone. It is looking for concrete ways to bring ordinary people into the work of defense and resistance.
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