Chetverta Vlada reports censorship in the Rivne City Council

The Chetverta Vlada team says that their work have been obstructed by the communications and public relations department of the Rivne City Council, namely by its head, Yana Yevtushok. The media outlet claims that the official is deliberately ignoring journalists' requests for an interview with the acting Mayor of Rivne, Victor Shakirzyan, Chetverta Vlada reports.

Furthermore, the media outlet has received Rivne Council internal documents suggesting that all units should only talk to the media through the communications and public relations department.

As an example of obstruction by the communication department, the team cites their request for an interview with Victor Shakirzyan being indirectly declined. Chetverta Vlada journalist Olha Pidhorodetska tried tried to arrange the interview through the Rivne City Council press office (officialy known as the communications and public relations department. – Ed.) for two months. Still, she received no approval. Yana Yevtushok, the head of the communications and public relations department, replied to all her requests that "an interview is impossible."

"She did not explain the reasons for the refusal, but kept repeating that the interview was impossible. And on September 27, she said that an interview was impossible due to Victor Shakirzyan's busy schedule. I asked to notify me when he will have free time, and that was the end of it," the media outlet quotes journalist Olha Pidhorodetska.

A screenshot of the chat between journalist Olha Pidhoretska and the chief of communications and public relations, Yana Yevtushok. Screenshot by Olha Pidhoretska

Chetverta Vlada also posted screenshots of the correspondence between the Rivne City Council's chief of communications, Yana Yevtushok, and the people who criticised Victor Shakirzyan in the Rivne group chat "Stierlitz". The interactions featured insults, ageism and discrimination.

Yana Yevtushok advises a Rivne woman to "mind her grandkids", insults and discriminates against her. Screenshot from the Telegram channel "Stierlitz" by Chetverta Vlada

In the same chat, Chetverta Vlada journalist Valeria Khomych asked Yana Yevtushok why Victor Shakirzyan was not agreeing to an interview with the media outlet.

"Well, I don't consider your news outlet to be objective, which is why I only give you the opportunity to submit queries for information," answered Yana Yevtushok.

At a later City Council session, Valeria Khomych asked Yana Yevtushok personally why she was interfering with the work of Chetverta Vlada. The official replied that this was only the journalist's "subjective opinion" and left. Likewise, the acting Rivne mayor Victor Shakirzyan avoided talking to the Chetverta Vlada journalist during the session.

Furthermore, their own sources in the Rivne City Council provided Chetverta Vlada with copies of internal letters saying that all divisions (departments, units, offices) must coordinate all comments and queries for access to public information with the communications and public relations department, headed by Yana Yevtushok.

"Do not provide comments or information to media representatives without approval from the department," the letter says.

According to the media outlet, a similar letter was also sent to state-owned companies.

A letter on approving the information shared with the media, sent by the Rivne Council Executive Committee. Source: Chetverta Vlada

Maria Korniychuk, the executive committee's head of affairs who signed this letter, told journalists that it "is purely explanatory in nature" and did not prohibit anyone from talking with the media on their own.

The head of communications, Yana Yevtushok, dodged the quesion again, telling the journalists that the internal documents of departments and offices are not her area of ​​responsibility.

To the written queries sublitted by Chetverta Vlada, the Rivne Council executive committee replied that the recommendation letters were written in accordance with the Regulation on the Communications and Public Relations Department of the Rivne City Council Executive Committee.

According to Oksana Maksymeniuk, the head of the law department at the Institute for Regional Press Development, the City Council's request to approve comments and information requested by the media is censorship, but it is difficult to prove.

"Each legal entity must be giving the answer without the consent of its founder. All legal entities are independent. Indeed, this is a non-binding letter, but the heads of bodies subordinate to the city government cannot fail to follow the recommendations of their 'boss' in the council," Oksana Maksymeniuk told Chetverta Vlada.

According to deputy Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom, the Rivne City Council probably does not understand the concept of freedom of speech in the democratic sense.

"If journalists of a media outlet registered under the Law on Media are asking questions, the government's function is to provide answers, not avoid them. Otherwise society will get the impression that information is being withheld because the government is acting unlawfully. Of course, we, as a Committee, will appeal to the Rivne authorities to explain such peculiar behavior, which does not meet the standards of openness and accountability that the Ukrainian authorities should be demonstrating," Yaroslav Yurchyshyn said in a comment to Chetverta Vlada.

Chetverta Vlada sent an appeal to the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech regarding the recommendation letters by the Rivne City Council and the response by the press office head, Yana Yevtushok. The media outlet believes that the facts they collected point to obstruction of journalistic work.