Mar 03, 2016

CRIMEAN TATAR: Ukrainian Information Policy Ministry to Support TV Channel ATR


On 1 February 2016, the Information Policy Ministry of Ukraine wrote to SES ASTRA AB, a Swedish company which provides the Crimean Tatar TV channel (ATR) with satellite broadcasting world-wide, requesting   the postponement of the terms to pay the company’s debts. The letter was sent following complaints about the possible stoppage of broadcasting in Crimea. The Ukrainian government stated that it will help the TV channel to settle its financial situation as part of the UAH 60 million allocated in the national budget to support the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar. 

Article taken by: Interfax Ukraine

 

The Information Policy Ministry of Ukraine on Tuesday sent a letter to Sweden's SES ASTRA AB regarding the postponement of the terms to pay debt liabilities of Atlant-SV (ATR TV) and the Cabinet of Minister of Ukraine will consider the issue paying the debt at the nearest meeting.

It is planned to settle the debt using the funds foreseen in the national budget to resolve problems of Crimea, the ministry said.

The ministry said that the 2016 national budget foresees UAH 60 million to finance the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People. Chair of the Mejlis MP Refat Chubarov said that despite the fact that ATR is a private company, some of the funds will be sent to support it.

"The ministry declares its support to ATR and calls on everyone, including SES ASTRA AB, not to allow making decisions that could result in the stoppage of broadcasting of the Crimean Tatar TV channel," the ministry said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Deputy Director General of ATR Ayder Muzhdabaev said that in the near term two Crimean Tatar TV channels – ATR and Lâle – could stop their broadcasting in Crimea.

"Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow ART and children's TV channel Lâle could stop their broadcasting in Crimea, as the Crimean Tatar TV channel, which Russian authorities deprived of everything, cannot pay for its broadcasting via satellite, while Ukrainian authorities do not want to do this," he wrote on his Facebook page.

On April 1, 2015, the only in the world Crimean Tatar TV Channel ATR stopped broadcasting in Crimea, since Russia Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Telecom, Information Technologies and Mass Communications refused to register the TV channel under the Russian legislation.

In June 2015, ATR resumed broadcasting from Kyiv after over 2.5-month stop.