In Mykolaiv, report of administration of communal TV channel "MART" turned into scandal

A report of the administration of Mykolaiv communal TV channel “МАРТ”, presented on February 16 by its director Oleksander Sokolov and his deputy Alina Kakoshko to the city council of Mykolaiv, ended in a scandal, Podrobnosti.mk.ua report.

Deputy director Kakoshko reported that the channel transferred to the city treasury 606 thousand hryvnias, and that salaries and expenses for digital broadcasting are paid by the channel from its own profits.

After the report, the representative of the city council from the "Opposition Bloc" Ihor Kopiyka emphasized that the channel was created to cover the activities of the city administration and council, which the channel fails to do. He said that city treasury pays for this millions of hryvnias every year, and also finances lease of premises and purchase of equipment. Outside this, the council member said, the communal enterprise may perform other activities, yet it must pay 30% tax to the city treasury from its profits. The deputy director answered that the previous city council allowed the channel to use its profits to cover its own expenses due to them being an insignificant share. Soon the argument ensued, which turned into a quarrel and yelling, and the channel’s representatives left the city council session in the process.