Clear proof of political discrimination in media by Ukrainian authorities

Arseniy Yatseniuk's 'Front Zmin' reports:

First National State Television Company refused to broadcast the Joint Opposition Forum, which was held at St. Michael's Square in the centre of Kyiv on Saturday.

Leader of "Front of Change", F.Z., Arseniy Yatseniuk sent a letter to the Director General of the First National Television Company of Ukraine, UT-1, Egor Benkendorf, requesting  airtime on the  channel be provided for live broadcast the Forum, between 10.05 to 10.45 a.m.

However, on the eve of the Forum a representative from the First National TV Channel informed 'F.Z.' their request had been denied. It was clear that this was not an independent decision by the channel's management, but rather a directive "from above."

"UT-1  is a state-run TV channel, funded by taxpayers' money and, by law, must provide equal access to information about the activities of both government and the opposition," stressed 'F.Z.'s press service.

UT-1 recently carried a live broadcasts of the Party of Regions' Forum: "Building a new country," a congress of  Party of Region' deputies, and also the 44th Congress of the Communist Party of Ukraine.

UT-1's refusal to broadcast Saturday's Joint Opposition Forum is in clear contravention of broadcasting and freedom of information laws say F.Z's press service.