“Volynska hazeta” sues for shifting out of state ownership

Editorial office of “Volynska hazeta” addressed the Economic Court of Kyiv city about forcing the Volyn Oblast State Administration to make contract which is necessary for complete shifting out of state property of the newspaper. This was the content of the release of the editorial office, published on the web-site of the media outlet. The staff of the newspaper claims that, in opposition to the Law of Ukraine “On reforming State and communal printed mass media” as of December 24, 2015, and of the Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers No.848 as of November 23, 2016, the head of oblast state administration Volodymyr Hunchak refuses to sign the contract described in article 7, and this prevents the newspaper to shift out of state ownership. For this reason, the editorial office cannot find any other way out resolving this in the court of law. The newspaper reminds that two years ago the team of “Volynska Hazeta” expressed intntion to shift out of state ownership. After this, Volodymyr Hunchak signed an order about withdrawing of oblast state administration from the founders of the newspaper, and later “made a baseless demand to pay to the budget 24% of registered capital”. It was done to destroy the "rebellious" newspaper. In addition, the administration stopped financial support of the media outlet completely, although it still had to do it according to the law. Now to re-obtain its license as an independent media outlet, the newspaper needs a contract with the oblast state administration (according to demands of the local Administration of Justice). IMI media lawyer of IMI Maksym Ratushnyi said, athat according to part 3 of article 8 of the Law on reformation, in case of withdrawal of a founder, their share is not returned to this founder, but instead distributed between other founders of this entity.