There is no need for journalists to be physically present in the Verkhovna Rada, said Oleksandr Martinenko, the Director of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, in an interview with Radio NV.

Responding to the results of a survey revealing that some 65% of Ukrainians believe that journalists should be present in the Verkhovna Rada during a state of war, Martinenko said that understanding the viewpoints of parliamentarians on various issues can be achieved through social media, and there is no mandate for the press to be present in the session hall and corridors.

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“A transparent Verkhovna Rada with journalists, live broadcasts, and everything else symbolizes peacetime,” said Martinenko.

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He pointed out that MPs Oleksiy Honcharuk (European Solidarity) and Yaroslav Zhelezniak (Holos) essentially serve as “translators” of events in the Rada through their live coverage. Other MPs also share their views on social media.

“Those who want to, can perfectly see the opinions of the members of the parliament and what they say,” Martinenko asserted.

“I have plenty of that in my feed. So, honestly, I’m not sure that allowing journalists into the Rada is an urgent issue that needs to be addressed today.”

The prohibition on the presence of the press in parliament and live broadcasts of sessions has been in effect since the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine