The meeting with the Members of the Oversight Advisory Committee of the Council of Europe was held
The Members of the National Council met the representatives of the Oversight Advisory Committee – an independent advisory body established by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. The meeting was aimed at analyzing and evaluating the objectives that the Council of Europe has defined in the framework of its Offices operation in different countries. The representatives of the State Committee of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine and the Parliamentary Committee on Freedom of Speech and Information Policy participated in the meeting as well.
The meeting was attended by three out of five active Members of the Oversight Advisory Committee. They were the Chair of the Committee Mr Peter Maertens (the Netherlands) and the Members Mr Paul Catchick (the UK) and Mr Alain Gillette (France). The delegation was accompanied by Mrs Verena Taylor, the Director of the Office of the Directorate General of Programmes Council of Europe, and Mr Мårten Ehnberg, the Head of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Side was represented by the Chairman of the National Council Mr Iurii Artemenko, the First Deputy Chairman Mrs Olha Herasymiuk and the Deputy Chairman Mrs Ulyana Feshchuk, the Member of the National Council Mr Serhii Kostynskyi, the Head of Internal Audit Department of the State Committee of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine Mrs Nataliia Stepanova, the Consultant of the Parliamentary Committee Chair Mrs Anna Kamuz.
The issues related to cooperation of the Council of Europe with the National Council and the other state bodies over the recent period were discussed. The discussions dealt with the aspects of implementation of the Council of Europe media projects, in particular, those aimed at establishment of the National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine, implementation of the media ownership procedures, improvement of the media legislation, etc.
The participants from the Ukrainian Side were unanimous in their opinion on significance and great benefit of the advisory support of the Council of Europe in democratic capacity building of a number of national institutions, in improving of administrative structures, in upholding the rule of law and freedom of speech. The practical outcomes of the activities of the recent years were outlined.
Mr Мårten Ehnberg supported this opinion of the Ukrainian representatives. He stated that a lot of things have been achieved and only a few steps are about to be made so that Ukraine could enjoy the public broadcasting service. This is going to be considered as a joint success.
The Members of the Oversight Advisory Committee were also interested in the reporting aspects related to certain programmes and projects. It was mentioned that their audits are followed by providing the Council of Europe and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe with recommendations on advancing the further cooperation and efficient cost management.
Mrs Olha Herasymiuk underscored the significance of the current support related to the independence of the media regulator. Due to active reforming of the state administration in Ukraine the regulatory authority faces the situation when it is deprived of proper regulatory powers and authorities in the media area. Instead, the National Council is to be imposed by the functions of a governmental authority. And the authoritative opinion of the Council of Europe can be decisive in coping with this issue.
The Members of the Oversight Advisory Committee thanked for the attention paid and noted that these discussions will be accumulated in the conclusions related to challenges that our country faces. They will advise on the efficient ways to cope with them, as well as they will identify the ways to improve the implementation of projects of the Council of Europe, in particular, in strengthening information society and media institutes reforming in Ukraine.
