Journalists not allowed to ask Lukashenko and Poroshenko questions

The meeting of the president of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and the president of Belarus Oleksandr Lukashenko and their statements for mass media were over without talking to press. This was reported by the “Ukrainska Pravda” correspondent. The journalists had to wait for the two presidents for about two hours, and taking into account the Presidential Administration to come there an hour earlier, almost three hours. But representatives of mass media weren’t even given an opportunity to ask their questions. Before Poroshenko and Lukashenko came out, the staff of the press service of the president of Ukraine warned the journalists they would not be able to ask their questions due to the Belarusian side’s request.  The journalists were unable to ask their questions after the meeting was over, either. On Thursday, July 20, it was one year since the murder of journalist Pavlo Sheremet, who due to repressions from the Belarusian authorities had to flee Belarus and moved first to Russia and then to Ukraine. President Poroshenko said it was an affair of honor to solve this high-profile case but on the first anniversary of Sheremet’s death, neither the president, nor any other high official issued a statement. President  Lukashenko arrived to Kyiv on July 20 in the evening, and official meetings were scheduled  for July 21.