Lviv’s Vysoky zamok daily has recently been awarded a EUR 40,000 grant by the German Zeit weekly, Interfax-Ukraine reports. The Moscow’s Novaya gazeta and Bulgaria’s Sega will receive the same grants, with two Belarusian newspapers Narodnaya volia and Svobodniye novosti each being awarded EUR 20,000. Die Zeit grants to periodical publications and journalists from Central and Eastern Europe “for quality journalism, public courage, and freedom of expression” will be awarded in a ceremony in May in Hamburg. Meanwhile, The Day has congratulated colleagues and approached Vysoky zamok Editor-in-Chief Stepan Kurpil with some questions.
The fact that such a high grade was given by foreign colleagues to a Ukrainian newspaper is evidence that domestic journalists have reached certain world standards. On the other hand, however, Vysoky zamok is a unique Ukrainian publication as it is printed at the regional level and circulated nationwide, quite reminiscent of the German model where many regional publications have become mainstream. Do you think this is a general trend or given Ukraine’s conditions an exception?
I believe, it is rather an exception. Generally speaking, the Ukrainian press is subsidized, but our paper is a quality newspaper that makes a profit and has a good profile and popularity with readers. This combination is quite rare. Our status is primarily based on our solid economic infrastructure, a print shop where thirty various newspapers are published. Our editorial policy is aimed at objectively covering the news, exposing our readers to different political agendas and concepts to enable them find their way with the multitude of events going on in Ukraine.
Since we started to talk about events, what was the landmark one for your publication in 2001?
For our publication, as perhaps for the whole of Ukraine’s West, it was the visit by Pope John Paul II, which had a huge impact on millions of Ukrainians.
Let’s come to current developments. With the election campaign taking on steam, have you become aware of any new specifically Ukrainian election tricks?
I wouldn’t say there are any specific tricks. The tactics are the usual ones, circulating gossip or sowing mistrust. Incidentally, there was a very unhappy incident when one of the print shop mechanics was intercepted late at night by four unidentified persons who told him to break the press so that it wouldn’t work for a number of days. The incident might be linked with my running for Verkhovna Rada or with the fact that we print various publications, both pro-government and opposition. Of course, the case could be interpreted differently, and someone could present it as some part of public relations. On seeing the emotional state of my mechanic when he came to me (shaking hands, eyes full of fear), I thought that the main thing to do in this situation was to guarantee safety to him and other staff because they can also be intimidated. A printing press can be put out of operation by anyone working it. That is why I made a statement to the police, tightened security at the print shop, and provided a guard for the ill-fated mechanic. I believe that publicity is the best security and if we make this incident public, people will be aware of such tactics and the villains will not dare to resort to them again.
I am convinced that the stand of Vysoky zamok and myself is consistent. We seek no confrontation with anyone, but we will firmly stand by our principles. Our main objective is to ensure democracy, and that is why our presses are open for various publications and our pages are home to a wide specter of political opinion, regardless of whether some like it or not. Our readers are the main target, and they are entitled to be exposed to a wide range of opinion.
