The Ukrainian government wants to fine information sites not registered as mass media

The Cabinet of Ministers proposes to the Verkhovna Rada to introduce a fine of 120 tax-free minimum incomes of citizens (2 040 hryvnia or 200 Euro) for the release or distribution of information products by an information agency without its state registration as a subject of information activity, as well as for evading re-registration of an information agency. This is stated in bill No. 6603, registered in parliament on June 30. For the same actions committed repeatedly within a year after the imposition of an administrative penalty, it is proposed to establish a fine in the amount of 300 tax-free minimum incomes of citizens (5,100 hryvnias or 500 Euros).

The government emphasizes that this bill applies not only to news agencies, but also to online publications. To date, the activities of online publications in Ukraine are not legally regulated. Therefore, the majority of online publications operating as news agencies are not registered, the source writes .

It should be noted that with due zeal, a blog can easily turn out to be a distributor of an information product.