Editor of Kyiv Post said that Kivan wanted to influence HR
Kyiv Post features editor Tamara Istomina told “Detektor Media” that the conflict between the staff and the weekly's owner, Adnan Kivan, escalated after the announcement of launching of the Ukrainian-language version, about which the staff learned from the news. The Kyiv Post in Ukrainian language had to be headed by Olena Rotari, a former editor-in-chief of Channel 7 in Odessa, which also belongs to Adnan Kivan. However, journalists opposed to her appointment made bypassing the editorial office.
“We realized that she was a Kivan’s journalist. And on its 7th channel there is no editorial independence. Respectively, this is a journalist who abide by our standards. Brian [Brian Bonner, chief editor of the Kyiv Post] said we could hire her if she went through the standard procedure: a job interview, maybe additional assignments. He made it clear that she would not be taken just like that, because it does not work like that in an independent edition. And after that there was a rupture, ” as Tamara Itstomina said.
According to the editor, the story involving Olena Rotary has become a "trigger", but problems have been accumulating since the beginning of the year. In particular, Adnan Kivan, according to Tamara Istomina, began trying to "calm down" journalists on specific issues related to criticism of government officials: "The last time, he came to the Kyiv Post office (he comes quite rare here), he complained saying that we write, and they fire at him”. However, the editor claimed that this did not affect the texts of the weekly. In addition, Kivan was dissatisfied with the media figures. Hence the idea of expanding the Kyiv Post.
“We have really started expansion. Several new people were employed, advertised vacancies. We decided to lead this monster, which he [Adnan Kivan] wanted to create. Try to make it as independent and wise, as we do Kyiv Post. But finally, we got once more to a dead end with Rotary. She continued to accept some CVs on social networks, ”the journalist claims.
“Detector Media” hopes to receive comment from Adnan Kivan on the reasons for the closure of the Kyiv Post.
After another time that Brian Bonner came for talks in Odessa and another statement that the editorial office will not accept people on instructions, Adnan Kivan "made it clear that then everything, the Kyiv Post is over." On November 8, a telephone call was made between the owner of the publication and the editorial office, during which the staff offered Kivan to sell the Kyiv Post or give the rights to journalists. Adnan Kivan did not agree, said Tamara Istomina.
Odessa developer Adnan Kivan bought Kyiv Post from Mohammad Zahur in 2018.
Adnan Kivan is one of the largest and oldest developers in Odessa, NV reported. The businessman is of Syrian origin and owns Kivan Company, which has a network of branches in Egypt, Nigeria and the Middle East. He also owns the KADORR Group.
In particular, he built in Odessa 46 residential complexes "Pearl", as well as residential complexes with pretentious names "Oasis", "Dubai in Odessa", a business center "Napoleon", shopping center "Kadorr", business center Kadorr, business center "French boulevard ”, Kadorr City Mall, Astashkina shopping center, Kadorr shopping gallery. In the market, his urban projects are known for the low cost of living space and ignoring the aesthetic standards of building.
As IMI reported, on November 8, the owner of the English-language Kyiv Post, Adnan Kivan, announced the temporary suspension of the edition for a restart.
Kyiv Post employees claimed the closure of the independent publication was due to pressure from the owner, Odessa developer Adnan Kivan.
Sevhil Musayeva, editor-in-chief of Ukrayinska Pravda, claimed that behind-the-scenes problems in the Kyiv Post weekly began a few weeks ago and were related to pressure from the President's Office on the edition's owner, Adnan Kivan.
Spokesman for the President of Ukraine Serhiy Nikiforov said that the news of the closure of the Kyiv Post came as "as a surprise to them as to all others."
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