Yanukovych: State press reforming to be voluntary

The process of destatization of the Ukrainian printed media will be held in accordance with the obligations before the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, President Viktor Yanukovych he said at the opening of the 64th World Newspaper Congress and the 19th World Editors Forum, the President’s press service informs.

"The relevant law will provide for gradual reforming of the state and municipal media on the principles of voluntarism, participation of the staff in determining the fate of periodicals, free transfer of property to such staffs and preservation of social guarantees for journalists of the reformed publications," he said.

At the same time, Yanukovych stressed that ensuring the economic independence of the media is responsibility not only of the state, but of the owners and managers of media companies as well. The head of state noted that the Congress members as the leading players of the world media market can assist in this matter also.