The European Commission has criticized the telethon, Ukraine's state-run pool of TV channels created during wartime, and urged Kyiv to restore a "pluralistic media landscape," according to an updated report on progress made by EU candidate countries published on Oct. 30.
The so-called telethon, branded as "Yedyni Novyny" ("United News"), was launched at the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. It was created by merging the coverage of Ukraine's biggest TV channels.
The telethon was initially seen as a legitimate response to Russia's aggression, but later, it was accused of monopolizing television coverage and stifling dissent. Some opposition television channels have complained that they were excluded from the telethon due to their political stance.
Brussels expects Ukraine to restore the work of all broadcasters in the pre-war format, questioning the telethon's objectivity. One of the European Commission's criticisms concerns the financing of the telethon from the state budget.
The European Commission also commented on the Rada TV channel, emphasizing that the media should cover the work of the entire parliament, including the opposition.
Despite concerns about the functioning of the media in Ukraine, the European Commission said it is ready to open the first negotiation clusters, starting with fundamentals, with Ukraine in 2025.
"The opening of accession negotiations with Ukraine has been an important recognition of Ukraine's determination to pursue reforms on the path of European Union accession," the statement read.
"Following the first intergovernmental conference in June 2024, the analytical examination of the acquis (the screening) is progressing smoothly."
Ukraine received EU candidate status in June 2022. The European Commission recommended launching accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova in November 2023, and the European Council approved the decision a month later.
The commission then presented the negotiation framework.
The first intergovernmental conference on Ukraine's accession was held in Luxembourg in June, marking the official beginning of accession negotiations between the European Union and Ukraine.
However, Ukraine's entry into the EU most likely remains years away. Katarina Mathernova, the EU ambassador to Ukraine, said that Kyiv could join the bloc in 2030.
Kateryna Denisova
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