Journalists regain entry to cover Ukrainian Parliamentary sessions

The New Voice of Ukraine
·1 min read
Ukrainian Parliement
Ukrainian Parliement
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Journalists will soon have renewed access to the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) to report on parliamentary activities during plenary sessions, following protocols similar to those used during the coronavirus pandemic, according to Verkhovna Rada Secretary General Viacheslav Shtuchnyi

This announcement was made during a roundtable discussion on May 1, which focused on journalists' access and the resumption of online broadcasts, Ukrinform reports.

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Approximately 20-30 media representatives will be allowed inside the building during sessions. "Journalists have already submitted accreditation applications,” Shtuchnyi noted, adding, "We are ready to conduct additional accreditation. After Easter, we will hold a briefing for journalists during their time in the parliament.”

The move comes as the Verkhovna Rada continues to function as Ukraine's sole legislative body under martial law, which Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk pointed out makes it a potential target in the eyes of Russian forces. "We have risks that are confirmed each month by letters from security services," Stefanchuk explained.

To manage these risks, Stefanchuk emphasized the need to "form a pool of journalists with high reputational standards." Valentyna Savitska, a representative from the State Protection Department, also highlighted the importance of thorough vetting for media representatives entering the parliament building. She recalled that over 4,000 media representatives were accredited previously, but access had been restricted since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion due to security concerns.

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