MCSC: Artists and journalists will be allowed to travel abroad after Cabinet of Ministers approval

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The Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications (MCSC) says they will resume issuing letters of assistance for traveling abroad to artists and media workers eligible for the draft immediately after the approved amendments to the government resolution are adopted, as reported on the MCSC website.

The Ministry added that the decision “is temporary and will be in effect until a formal procedure that will allow to prevent the abuse of cultural diplomacy efforts moving forward is established.”

At the same time, the MCSC emphasizes that they are doing everything in their power to ensure that the decision is adopted as soon as possible.

The Ministry said they had proposed a draft amendment to the Cabinet of Ministers’ resolution “On the Rules for Crossing the State Border by Citizens of Ukraine” No. 57 (dated January 27, 1995). The document is being approved by state authorities in accordance with the Cabinet of Ministers Regulations.

The MCSC proposes to include a list of documents in the resolution which will serve as grounds for the Ministry to issue letters of assistance to men of draft age who work in the fields of culture, information security, strategic communications, and linear audiovisual media for temporary travel abroad during martial law.

According to the amended resolution, the person traveling abroad will have to provide a package of supporting documents, such as the purpose and terms of their trip, as well as other details.

The Ministry explained that they had decided to stop issuing such letters due to numerous violations of the terms for receiving them. Letters of assistance are issued on the condition that the receiver undertakes an obligation to return to Ukraine after completing their task abroad.

The MCSC also pointed out that the comment by Dmytro Zolotukhin, advisor to the Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications on strategic communications and international cooperation, who said that 500 men did not return to Ukraine from abroad in 2024 and whose words were circulated in the media, is not the Ministry's official position and contains personal interpretation.

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.