MIP: Latvia is interested in international broadcasting of Ukraine

17 March 2016, the Minister of Information Policy of Ukraine Yurii Stets met Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Latvia to Ukraine Juris Poikans.

The meeting was also attended by: Andrejs Karpovics, the Second Secretary of the Embassy and Deputy Information Policy Ministers Tetiana Popova and Artem Bidenko.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the spread of international broadcasting of Ukraine, including UATV channel in cable network in Latvia.

After the presentation of the TV channel and its main features of broadcasting the Minister Yurii Stets requested to promote UATV in Latvia.

The Honorable Ambassador, in turn, pointed friendly relations between the countries and noted the importance of alternative broadcasting from Ukrainian side for Latvians.

"We believe that the people of Latvia have to have alternative access to news about Ukraine from official sources. That is why I am sure that cable operators in Latvia will be interested in cooperation with Ukraine. In this direction we will discuss the issue with representatives of cable operators soon", said Juris Poikans.

Yurii Stets expressed gratitude to Latvia for the support in providing the transmitting equipment to renew Ukrainian broadcasting. The Minister also showed the map of broadcasting of Ukrainian TV and radio, noting the importance of such equipment, which enables to revive the country of the Russian propaganda, step by step, enhancing the Ukrainian signal in ATO zone and, in particular, in the areas with "blind spots" on Ukrainian territory.

Latvian side is also interested in the program «Embedded journalists». Deputy Minister Tetiana Popova told about the project and invited Latvian journalists to attend, adding they can participate in the program and make materials from frontline for media of Latvia.

Note that the Republic of Latvia donated to Ukraine three transmitters, which were handed over by the members of the Commission on ensuring stable operation of national television and radio broadcasting under MIP and were installed in ATO zone to renew broadcasting.

At the end of the meeting the honored guests handed over the album with photographs that reflect the events that took place in early March 2014 in Simferopol and Bakhchysarai. Photos were taken by Ambassador of Latvia to Ukraine Argita Daudze and Ambassador of Lithuania to Ukraine Petras Vaitiekunas, who were witnesses of the events at the beginning of the occupation in the Crimea. The photo materials documented information, externally calm, but in reality tense, that prevailed at the beginning of the occupation in the Crimea. (3-7 March 2014).

Recall that the launch of the International broadcasting multimedia platform of Ukraine (IBMPU) was held on 1 October 2015. IBMPU is formed on the basis of the state broadcasting company "World Service"UTR".

Within the International broadcasting multimedia platform of Ukraine, UATV TV channel was launched instead of satellite TV channel "UTR". The channel is broadcasted from the three satellites: Amos 3, Azerspace 1, Galaxy 19, as well as on its own YouTube channel.

The legal driving force of the International broadcasting multimedia platform of Ukraine became the Law "On foreign broadcasting system of Ukraine" developed by MIP, which was signed by the President of Ukraine on 28 December 2015. According to the law IBMPU is registered as a state enterprise from the beginning of the year.