The European Commission criticized Ukraine’s unified TV marathon for the first time

The European Commission has criticized Ukraine’s unified television marathon for the first time.

In its report on Ukraine’s progress toward joining the European Union, the European Commission questions whether the state-funded project provides an objective portrayal of events.

Ukraine is urged to “gradually restore a transparent, pluralistic, and independent media landscape,” and not to wait until the war ends to do so.

“In 2023, the Ukrainian government invested public funds in the television marathon project. It is worth reconsidering whether this is the best platform for free discussion,” the document states.

Additionally, the document criticizes the “Rada” TV channel for rarely inviting opposition representatives to its broadcasts.

It’s worth noting that Ukraine’s new Minister of Culture, Mykola Tochytsky, has previously opposed ending the television marathon. Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukrainian journalists supposedly decided to unite for broadcasting in the marathon format on their own to combat disinformation—though many understand this claim to be misleading.

Furthermore, statements in the Verkhovna Rada have indicated that the unified television marathon should remain on air until the end of the war. According to Nikita Poturaev, head of the parliamentary committee on humanitarian and information policy, the marathon is a source of fully verified information.