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Andry Petrytsky, an analyst with the Yaroslav Mudry Institute
for Legislation Problems, faulted the law for blurry notions and
poor definitions.
"The very definition of social morality given in the law does not
allow us to figure out who will be protected from what," he said.
"As for the key notions of pornography and erotica, the law gives
no criterion to differentiate them."
Even so, Kosiv says he is convinced that there is a need to
protect public morality. "For the last years, we have witnessed a
flow of sexual products, and much violence and cruelty on
television, which especially affects minors," he said. "However,
the bill should be amended to provide very clear and weighted
positions and complement other laws' provisions regulating these
issues," Kosiv said.
The bill elicited quick reactions from mass media organizations.
The' Association of Television and Radio Network Broadcasters
and the Television Industry Committee have both asked the
president to veto the bill. The broad- casting association said that
any state-sponsored prohibition would constitute censorship.
Kateryna Kotenko, the broadcasting association's executive
director, said that the bill runs counter to existing Ukrainian
law by exercising prior restraint over published materials. She
said that "state control over information - censorship - is
forbidden in Ukraine."
She also said that the pornography review commission
established by the bill would constitute double licensing
for television stations, which receive broadcast licenses from the
government and would be required to have content
licensed as well.
That the expert commission's reach would extend into theatres as
well bothers Molody Teatr Director Stanislav Moyseyev, who said
the bill allows the state to interfere in artistic' activities.

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