It would seem that Ukraine now has a boringly common minister of internal affairs. The minister has just lost his journalist membership.

Vitaliy Zaharchenko – the very minister in question – has been banned from the Ukrainian Union of Journalists (NSJU, National Union of Ukrainian Journalists). Mr Zaharchenko, who is also known as “bloody minister”, was once a TV reporter in Donetsk region. As such he was registered with the Union. After moving to the capital Mr Zaharchenko became a member of Union’s section in Kyiv. From which he has been officially excluded.

Alla Malienko, the speaker for the Union in Kyiv explained the reasons behind such decision, which were: “failing to fulfil demands put forward by the Maidan, repeated attacks on journalists and unacceptably low standards of current investigations into journalists’ work” (the last point refers pressumably to various open cases against journalists who did their jobs during the wake of protest movement – editorial). The source: http://vgolos.com.ua/news/zaharchenka_vygnaly_zi_spilky_zhurnalistiv_129064.html

Well, well, well! Someone’s pants are on fire… Our lovely “bloody minister” was kicked out. The author of these lines realises well enough how very unprofessional this all must sound. And yet, with all the recent events it’s hard to contain this simmering, almost malevolent glee at this news. Granted, this is a small and fairly insignificant event, but it does feel so good. And who knows, maybe Mr Zaharchenko has more memberships to loose, e.g. ministerial chair…

To explain: After (mainly) student protesters were brutally assaulted and dispersed on the night of 30th November, Mr Zaharchenko has been repeatedly called “bloody minister”. After that incident officials, government representatives and president himself have made numerous promises to limit use of force against protesters. Those promises were given to the Maidan, opposition leaders and to the foreign officials. At the same time the number of sneaky attacks from under a dark street corner increased. Main targets were and still remain Maidan activists, Maidan journalists and any journalist and/or photographer who foolishly persisted in representing events as they were. Somewhere along those lines Mr Zaharchenko has been baptised and got his middle name, namely “bloody minister”. And quite fitting it is, wouldn’t you agree? Trails left by the attackers do suggest that they were following high ranking officials’ orders. But this is yet another story for another time…