Odious MP Barna asks to revoke accreditation of journalist «1+1»

Odious MP Barna asks to revoke accreditation of journalist «1+1»

People’s Deputy from BPP Oleg Barna wants to strip the parliamentary accreditation of the journalist of the program “Hroshi” on the channel «1+1», Ihor Koltunov, whom he swore at in the corridors of the parliament 2 October

This is stated in the deputy’s appeal to the Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech and Information Policy, Viktoriia Siumar, the text of which is available to the editors of Detector Media.

In particular, Mr. Barna asks the Committee chair to recommend that the press service of the Verkhovna Rada apparatus terminate the accreditation of journalist Ihor Koltunov “in order to make it impossible for this journalist to visit the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in the future.”

The deputy believes that the journalist performs his duties unprofessionally.

“I consider it unacceptable to accredit such journalists at the Verkhovna Rada, whose goal is not the professional fulfillment of their duties, not the objective coverage of the work of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine as the highest legislative body of the state, but only the discrediting of members of parliament and the Ukrainian parliament as a whole by dirty methods,” reads Barna’s appeal.

First Deputy Chair of the Committee on Freedom of Speech Olga Chervakova told Detector Media that she also received an appeal from MP Barna to strip the journalist «1+1» of accreditation. According to her, the Committee will consider the appeal in the near future.

“I personally see a conflict of interest here, because a deputy cannot appeal for the punishment of a journalist whom he swore at. But the Committee considers all appeals that come in, so we will consider this at one of the upcoming meetings. Today, unfortunately, we didn’t manage to, because this appeal reached me on Monday, and by Friday the Committee’s agenda had already been signed,” she said.

Ms. Chervakova added that the legislation does not prescribe mechanisms for stripping a journalist of accreditation.

In his appeal Mr. Barna also notes that he has asked the general director of the TV channel «1+1», Oleksandr Tkachenko, four times to give him live air “for the lawful right to defend my honor, dignity and business reputation by refuting false information about me.” According to Barna, he received no response.

Detector Media contacted the press service of the media group and journalist Koltunov for comment.

Recall that on 2 October in the corridors of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine People’s Deputy from the Petro Poroshenko Bloc Oleg Barna swore at the journalist of the program “Hroshi” on the channel «1+1», Ihor Koltunov, after a question about button-pushing. The next day, speaking to journalists, he explained his behavior by saying that he thus redirected his swearing to the owner of the media holding «1+1 media», Ihor Kolomoyskyi.

Head of the Studio Kvartal «95» Volodymyr Zelensky and CEO of «1+1 media» Oleksandr Tkachenko reacted to the deputy’s swearing with a flash mob and invited everyone to join.

Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech and Information Policy Viktoriia Siumar apologized for the deputy.

Executive director of the Institute of Mass Information Oksana Romaniuk believes that Oleg Barna should apologize to the journalist.

On 5 October the journalist of the program “Hroshi” on the channel «1+1», Ihor Koltunov, registered a letter-appeal with the parliamentary office to the head of the BPP faction Artur Herasymov regarding the behavior of faction member Oleg Barna, who swore at him on 2 October in the corridors of the parliament. In the letter, representatives of the media group demand Barna’s expulsion from the faction.

Later the deputy apologized for the swearing to his voters and to “the children who were shown this video.”