Cabinet of Ministers announces new traveling regulations for artists and media workers

The Cabinet of Ministers has made a decision on border crossing by artists and media workers who are eligible for the draft, Interfax-Ukraine reports, citing Andriy Nadzhos, the deputy minister of culture and strategic communications (MCSC) for European integration.

Nadzhos explained during a meeting of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy that while previously all applications would be received by the MCSC, now applications will have to be addressed to appropriate institutions, who will process them according to their jurisdiction and check all the necessary documents. The MCSC will then receive a verified package.

“Because in terms of making the decision, this will, first, speed up the process, and second, make it more transparent and accountable,” Nadzhos said.

From now on, the letter of assistance will only be signed by the Minister or an acting minister.

Documents must be submitted to the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications at least 15 days before departure, and the person should stay abroad no longer than 60 calendar days from the day of crossing the border.

“In exceptional cases, this term can be extended, but it seems to us that this period is enough for a person to finish their business and come back to Ukraine,” the deputy minister added.

Moreover, the Ministry of Culture outlined a clear list of documents necessary to issue a letter of assistance for crossing the border; in particular, the applicant needs to have an invitation and a document proving they are on military record.

“There are certain additional elements that concern media workers and media professionals. The Ministry of Digital Affairs may be involved here. It will be involved in cases of media workers participating in events related to ensuring the functioning of the multimedia platform United24," Nadzhos said.

Media workers must also be given a clear editorial assignment and an order to travel.

Among other things, the MCSC intends to develop a regulatory algorithm mandating that an artist who claims they are traveling abroad to fundraise for the Defense Forces must report upon returning what sum they will be sending to which brigade.

Another important innovation is that legal entities will have to have a critical enterprise status and individual entrepreneurs will be able to apply for travel if three years have passed since their registration as a business and their application.

It is expected that the resolution will come into force after it is published in Uryadovyi Courier on March 6.

Previously

The Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications (MCSC) will stop issuing letters to the State Border Service (SBS) assisting artists and media workers eligible for the draft to travel abroad. The decision will be in effect starting March 3.

The Director of the Institute of Mass Information, Oksana Romaniuk, believes that the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications (MCSC) suspending the issue of permits to travel abroad to media professionals risks to stigmatize the entire media community. According to the IMI, less than ten journalists left and did not come back over the past year.

The Media Movement demands MCSC revoke the decision to suspend the issuance of letters for traveling abroad to journalists.

The Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications said they would resume issuing letters of assistance for traveling abroad to artists and media workers immediately after the approved amendments to the government resolution are adopted