Envoy admits Ukraine faces image problem after death of journalist

Date: 25/10/01

By David Cronin

Ukraine's EU ambassador has acknowledged that President Leonid Kuchma's government has not been transparent enough over the circumstances surrounding the death of investigative journalist Georgy Gongadze.

Although Kuchma has repeatedly insisted that he had no involvement in Gongadze's death - his body was found decapitated last year - doubts persist and the Ukraine's image has been severely tarnished. The EU delegation at last month's Yalta summit urged Kuchma to carry out a thorough probe into the episode.

His Brussels representative, Roman Shpek, admitted that the Kiev government had not helped its case by failing to provide enough information to convince the public. Part of its problem was due to the Ukraine media's lack of independence, he told European Voice."Although most of our media is not state-owned, it is not actually independent," he said. "There is a great dependence between journalists and the shareholders of newspapers. We are really aware that this hampers the image of Ukraine as a state and that we need additional investment in our media before we can solve such problems. The Ukrainian government and president are very concerned about journalists being killed, beaten and assaulted." Kuchma has angered human rights organisations and opposition parties through his refusal to ensure an impartial investigation into the Gongadze case.

Allegations of his involvement in the killing have been fuelled by the discovery of recordings in which a voice similar to his was heard delivering orders for the repoter's capture.

According to the human rights organisation for journalists, Reporters Sans Frontières, Gongadze was one of four journalists murdered in Ukraine during 2000, and one was killed in the country this year.

The former Soviet republic has been keen to develop closer links with the EU in recent months, especially since leaders at June's Göteborg summit stated their desire that Ukraine would eventually join the Union.

Shpek said he hopes negotiations on the state's accession bid will begin by 2007. Kiev is planning to join the World Trade Organisation by 2003 and wants to use the membership as a stepping stone into the EU.

He also expressed frustration over promised Western European funds for the so-called K2R4 nuclear reactors, due to replace Chernobyl. The Economic Bank on Reconstruction and Development (ERBD) has not yet delivered on a plan to make more than €216 million in loans available for the project, thereby placing a question mark over related proposals for assistance from Euratom, the EU agency for nuclear energy. "If the EBRD and Euratom are not ready to finance this project, we will have to find other opportunities," he warned. "We may have to negotiate with Russia."

Ukraine's EU ambassador has acknowledged that President Leonid Kuchma's government has not been transparent enough over the circumstances surrounding the death of investigative journalist Georgy Gongadze.