ATR claimed being blocked

Ukraine’s channel ATR broadcasting in Crimean Tatar language said its financing from the state budget was suspended and the broadcaster was under threat of closure, as to the ATR statement made public on its website on February 10.

"The first Crimean Tatar TV channel ATR’s financing was blocked for another time, notwithstanding the fact that the government allocated UAH 50 million (around $ 2 million 40 thousand) for financing of TV channel in 2020," the statement read.

According to ATR, some of these funds were transferred to the ATR account, but it has been blocked by the Treasury.

Due to the blocking of funds, ATR has launched the #SaveATR Marathon: they broadcast programs without presenters and guests.

Earlier, due to underfunding, ATR announced fundraiser campaign, which is still ongoing. The funds can be transferred to the bank card: 4176 4901 0002 2824.

As IMI reported, earlier this month, the ATR owner Lenur Islamov told that because of underfunding, ATR TV channel has reduced 45% of its staff. About 40 persons have been fired, journalists, film directors and others. News editions have been also cut and live broadcasts have been suspended. Islamov added that the channel was on the verge of closing.

At the beginning of the year, the private Crimean Tatar TV channel ATR was on the verge of closing due to the suspension of financial support from the state budget. In the second half of 2019, ATR received from the state 15 million UAH ($617 thousand). ATR has been receiving financial support from the state budget since 2016 through the budget program of resettlement and arrangement of Crimean Tatars and persons of other nationalities deported from the territory of Ukraine.