Yuschenko's spokeswoman claims Yanukovych not informed about situation in Ukraine

12:31

The spokeswoman for former Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko, Iryna Vannykova, has said she believes that the current president, Viktor Yanukovych, is not informed about the situation in the country, the press service of TVi Channel quoted her as saying on Wednesday.

"He [Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych] is either cunning, or he doesn't want to notice obvious facts that threaten freedom of speech, or, in fact, he has been fenced off from information. If desired, the entourage of the president can give him the information that it considers to be necessary," Vannykova said, adding that "an information famine" around Yanukovych could be a planned policy.

She said that the fate of public television now depended on society, while the level of public consciousness was currently close to "zero." Vannykova said that August 26, when Kyiv Administrative Court of Appeals will hold a meeting to consider a case on the withdrawal of frequencies from a number of TV channels, including Channel 5 and TVi Channel, would be "a judgment day for Ukraine and for democracy," TVi's press service reported.

The spokesperson of Ukraine's presidential administration, Denys Ivanesko, in turn, told reporters on Thursday that President Yanukovych possessed the necessary amount of information about the situation in Ukraine and abroad.

"Perhaps, it was during Yuschenko's presidency when Iryna Vannykova could, if she wanted, give the president [only the] information that she viewed as necessary. Now she is judging others by herself. Therefore, she believes that such a practice of selectively informing the president is still seen in the country," Ivanesko said.

He said that the president had all the necessary information, supplied from several independent sources, including statements on the situation with freedom of speech in Ukraine.

"Therefore, it's impossible to limit the head of state's [access to] information," he said.