First National Channel broadcasts election campaign materials in compliance with law, reads statement

The National Television and Radio Company of Ukraine has stated that the First National Channel broadcasts the Last Warning program in compliance with all laws.

The company's official statement reads that the Last Warning video aims to provide election information and it was placed on the First National Channel at the order of a participant in the election process according to a procedure foreseen by the law of Ukraine in parliamentary elections.

"Its placement was carried out under a contract funded from the election fund. During the broadcast on the First National Channel the product was marked as an election broadcast," reads the statement.

The company said that, according to the Ukrainian legislation, it cannot change the content of materials for election campaigns, except in cases when such materials contain calls for changing the constitutional system, advocate violence or hatred, or contain information that has been proved in court to be of an unreliable or defamatory character.

The First National Channel is a national television channel that has broadcast since 1951. The channel is a member of the EBU. It covers 98% of Ukraine's territory.

As reported, the Batkivschyna United Opposition has demanded that the First National Channel retract what it said was a defamatory report about the opposition, and promised to take the issue to the courts. The united opposition complained to PACE, the Prosecutor General's Office, the parliamentary committee on freedom of speech and information, and the National TV and Radio Broadcasting Council about the issue.