Tatarov, MPs from OPZZh and “Servant of the People”: Who Is Pressuring Activists and Journalists in Ukraine

In Ukraine’s Parliament, certain MPs and representatives of the President’s Office are exerting pressure on activists and journalists. During an October meeting of the Energy Committee, MP Viktoriya Hryb, elected from the Opposition Platform — For Life (OPZZh) party, claimed that “defenders of the Carpathians work for the enemy.” Meanwhile, Serhii Nahorniak from the Servant of the People faction suggested referring activists’ actions to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). Their concern stems from activists demanding that businesses follow the law and conduct environmental impact assessments before installing wind turbines in the Carpathian Mountains.

Journalist Olena Mudra, who covers environmental issues in Zakarpattia, is facing not only information attacks. The company “Wind Parks of Ukraine”, connected to MPs Maksym Yefimov and Eduard Mkrtchan, has filed two SLAPP lawsuits (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) against her. These are legal actions often used to silence those speaking out on issues of public importance. This is not an isolated case — as noted in a recent report by Human Rights First (USA), Ukrainian activists combating corruption and illegal construction during the country’s reconstruction are increasingly facing judicial and physical pressure.

The campaign to discredit civic activists involves not only MPs but also Oleh Tatarov, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office. During discussions of the so-called “Ihor Mazepa Law”—which effectively nullifies state claims to land illegally privatized over ten years ago—Tatarov urged committee members to support the bill, arguing that it would counter “activists who earn big money.”
The European Parliament, in its Resolution, later described this legislation as the “legalization of stolen property.”

Moreover, Parliament recently passed Bill No. 12320, which bans journalists from naming lawyers who represented state traitors and are themselves politicians. The bill’s key author is OPZZh MP Hryhorii Mamka. Western partners have already warned that, if signed by the President, it will have a “chilling effect” on freedom of speech. Such systemic efforts to intimidate journalists and civil society actors threaten to undermine Ukraine’s EU integration progress.

Former OPZZh MP Maksym Yefimov is linked to Wind Parks of Ukraine. Previously, wind farms were built in Kramatorsk, but the business relocated to Zakarpattia after the war began. Construction is now underway on Mount Runa in the Carpathians.

Construction of wind-turbines on the polonina Runa

Yefimov’s political ally Antonina Slavytska promoted an amendment that would legalize the construction of wind farms without environmental impact assessments. The proposal failed to pass (vote results are available via the “ReCharge UA” tool). Soon after, Yefimov organized an off-site meeting of the Energy Committee in the Carpathians, where company representatives announced plans to build wind farms not only on Runa but also on other high-mountain pastures in Zakarpattia.

In late October, MP Serhii Nahorniak (Servant of the People) stated:

Serhii Nahorniak

MP (Servant of the People)

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I propose that we, together with colleagues, prepare an appeal to the Security Service of Ukraine to verify whom these so-called eco-activists actually work for.

It should be noted that Nahorniak received suspicion from the National Anti‑Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) for an undeclared Lexus, but the case against this politician from the ruling party was closed due to the statute of limitations.

And Nahorniak’s position is the same as his committee colleague Hryb, who said:

Viktoriia Hryb

Member of Parliament elected from the “Opposition Platform — For Life” party

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I want to appeal, together with colleagues, to the Security Service of Ukraine to check whom today those people work for, who present themselves as eco-activists.

Andrii Tupiikov, biologist, PhD in biology, veteran, who upon returning from the front went on a patrol in the Carpathians and discovered illegal logging, says that those who run business and build wind-parks in the Carpathians put pressure on activists so that others wouldn’t even think of joining:

Andrii Tupiikov

biologist, PhD in biology, veteran

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I come from Kramatorsk, where those wind-turbines were. I remember that in the 2010s we discussed where they could be installed. When war came to our land through such politicians from Opp-PL who have now relocated to Transcarpathia — activists are almost the only safeguard. When Opp-PL MP Viktoriia Hryb at a committee hearing says that we are the enemy — this is unheard-of impudence. I can only say that for the past three years I was serving in the very structure that the MP Hryb calls hostile — the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Business close to the pro-Russian Opp-PL will play on the topic of blackouts and say that all who are against wind-turbines are enemies. But Ukraine is not Luxembourg and not the Vatican. We have enough space even for installing wind-turbines — there is no need to destroy the mountain ridges of the Carpathians. They need not green energy, but a green road to destroy the Carpathians, because after the turbines there will be resorts, for which the Kolomoiskyi-Palytsia group cares so deeply. There is an enemy not only from outside the country, we have enough enemies of the statehood here in the rear.

And Tupiikov is not the only one whose words Hryb’s and Nahorniak’s remarks outraged. His position is supported by biologist and serviceman Yehor Hrynyk, as well as veteran, wildlife-photographer and Donetsk resident Dmytro Balkhovitin. He knows very well the consequences of destruction of steppes and unique ecosystems:

Dmytro Balkhovitin

veteran, wildlife-photographer

These were dried-up steppe rivers and storms that covered whole cities. And now, not only are we fighting the Moscow foe with weapons in our hands, but we still must save another part of the country from greedy businessmen, who intend to destroy the Carpathians with the support of questionable type of deputies! And they hang labels — on whom?! This is dirty games and cheap manipulations, especially when such labels are hung on ecologists and activists who moreover are volunteers, veterans and service-persons!

Brian Dully, Senior Advisor at Human Rights First, who prepared the report on the situation in Ukraine, explains:

Brian Dully

Senior Advisor at Human Rights First

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We know that for many years anti-corruption activists in Ukraine have faced numerous attacks — both physical and judicial. Any persecution of Ukrainian human-rights defenders is unacceptable. The European Union and other partners are watching with increasing concern the attacks on anti-corruption institutions and those who protect them. Ukraine is under close observation, and SLAPP-type lawsuits aimed against activists for their lawful actions create extremely negative reputation for the authorities.

After a visit to Ukraine, Brian Dully for Human Rights First prepared an overview of cases of pressure and attacks on anti-corruption activists and journalists. The document also includes recommendations for the Ukrainian authorities, in which it is stated that the Ukrainian authorities must publicly recognise the importance of anti-corruption activists for the development of democracy.

Journalist Olena Mudra, who in her publications covers the destruction of the Carpathians, says that pressure and informational attacks are a worrying signal:

Olena Mudra

Journalist

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It is very alarming when, because of your professional activity, the businessmen who believe that laws of the state do not exist for them begin to regard you as their enemy. But what does it have to do with me when I, as a journalist, am just doing my job — covering eco-crimes and nature-protection violations? It does not add optimism that the police are in no hurry to protect me. First of all there were difficulties with registering my report with signs of an offence under Articles 171 and 182 of the Criminal Code — proceedings were not opened within a day. Therefore publicity and community support are extremely important for me. In particular at the global level. Recently Reporters Without Borders — an international non-governmental organisation protecting freedom of speech worldwide — marked my story on the map among 30 other cases of persecution of journalists covering environmental issues, who were targeted around the world last year.

Map of Reporters Without Borders with journalists around the world who write on environmental topics and are under pressure. Journalist Mudra is among the 30 such journalists.

It is worth reminding that MPs of Servant of the People, Ihor Frys and Oleksandr Horobets, sued respectively the media outlet Halka and the head of the civic organisation Holka, Irina Fedoriv, who defends Bilichansky forest from development. The Supreme Court of Ukraine found that these cases of MPs are of minor significance, yet the courts lasted several years.

Vadym Voityk, chief editor of the Ivano-Frankivsk media “Halka”, who serves in the National Guard, says:

Vadym Voityk

chief editor of the Ivano-Frankivsk media “Halka”

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There was no doubt that Frys’s lawsuit against Halka was a SLAPP-lawsuit, neither in the editorial office nor by anyone who acquainted themselves with the claim. The lawyers – and the claim was certainly not written by the ‘distinguished lawyer’ Frys – had to really fantasise to find proof of damage to the MP’s business reputation: the main argument in the text was the number of dislikes and negative comments of readers under one of our texts. Whether the MP Frys would get many dislikes after two years of courts he obviously did not think about at all.

Rudolf Machaïm, lawyer and member of the National-Council of Switzerland, in a comment to the civic initiative Holka, explains that Europe pays serious attention to the pressure that is exerted on journalists because it undermines the democratic system:

I have repeatedly spoken in our parliament on this topic and as a lawyer defend several civic organisations and journalists who face threats through SLAPP-lawsuits. It is worth reminding that media perform an extremely important role — they are a counter-weight to power in democracy. Court lawsuits whose goal is to prevent journalists or civic organisations from doing their work represent a threat to democracy itself. The European Union recognised this problem and adopted an anti-SLAPP directive, which provides various tools to combat abuse in court proceedings — including accelerated procedures and fines.

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