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Additional News Releases

Washington, D.C., Dec. 27, 2001 – The Voice of America released the following statement today on the removal by Ukraine's National Council on Broadcasting of the license of Kyiv radio station and VOA affiliate Radio Kontynent:

"The Voice of America protests in the strongest possible way the decision by Ukraine's National Council on Broadcasting to grant the license of Radio Kontynent, VOA’s longtime partner in Kyiv, to another broadcast company while Kontynent's case is under appeal. In doing so, the National Council broke its own earlier promise not to interfere with the appeals process.

"That step effectively deprives Radio Kontynent of the possibility of continuing its broadcasts and can be seen as a direct attack on media freedom in Ukraine.

"Such official action is especially ominous when viewed in the context of other official pressure against journalists in Ukraine in recent months, actions that violate both the spirit and letter of conventions to which Ukraine is a signatory. Coming just before the start of parliamentary election campaigns, this silencing of Radio Kontynent will be seen by many as politically motivated and seems certain to undermine Ukraine’s international reputation."

Robert R. Reilly, Director of the Voice of America, said, "We are extremely troubled by the decision of Ukraine's National Council on Broadcasting to remove Radio Kontynent’s license and frequency, and we join with our colleagues at the BBC World Service and Deutsche Welle in condemning this attack on the free flow of information in Ukraine. It is troubling to see what could be interpreted as a pattern of behavior aimed at muzzling independent voices and opinions. We urge the National Council to immediately reverse this unfortunate decision."

Contact: Joe O’Connell, (202) 619-2538

jdoconne@ibb.gov