Statement on behalf of the European Union delivered by H.E. Ambassador Stanislav Raščan
The European Union, recalling its statement from 15 May, expresses its disappointment that President Bakiyev signed the amendments to the broadcasting law of Kyrgyzstan on 3 June. Kyrgyzstan was the first Central Asian state to pass a law on independent public service broadcasting. The amendments to this law are therefore particularly disturbing.
The amendments, which permit the President to appoint the Chief Executive and to nominate the entire supervisory board of the National Radio and Television Company of Kyrgyzstan for approval by Parliament, would likely have the effect of seriously impairing the independence of the public-service broadcaster.
The amendments establishing quotas for TV and radio programmes in Kyrgyz, of local production, featuring local performers and written by local authors could lead to the closure of many TV and radio stations and would have a negative impact on media variety.
We urge the Kyrgyz authorities to respond to the concerns raised by the Representative on Freedom of the Media in his letter of 9 May addressed to President Bakiyev and to take advantage of the expertise and assistance available from the office of the Representative in revising the broadcasting law in order to contribute to the foundation of a truly pluralistic and independent public service broadcaster in Kyrgyzstan.
The candidate countries Turkey, Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidate countries Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia, the European Free Trade Association countries and members of the European Economic Area Iceland and Norway, as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova align themselves with this statement.
* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process
