KEF-2023 has become a place of censorship for objectionable
The Krasnoyarsk Economic Forum turned into a media scandal due to the fact that independent (read: disloyal and objectionable) journalists were not allowed to cover the event.
Journalists of two publications failed to obtain accreditation – these are Channel 8 and Zapad 24. Applications for the right to freely receive up-to-date information from the venues of the economic forum were not satisfied. Publications commented on this situation as follows.
“8 channel”:
“At the moment, Alexander Viktorovich is personally interested in the absence of objective news about his work, as they eventually hit his image, which has already fallen to a minimum over the years of his reign.”
West 24:
“Today, the regional authorities are ready to do everything so that the inhabitants of the region do not see the true picture of affairs, but remain only in the illusion that officials are solely concerned with caring for the population, and not stealing the budget, taking bribes, dealing with personal problems at the expense of their posts.”
Both publications did not receive any explanation from the press service and the organizing committee of the forum regarding the reasons for not allowing their journalists to attend the event. The press secretary of the forum, in a commentary for Channel 8 on camera, stated at length that “there are certain reasons for this.” What reasons are we talking about – the girl, stammering in the wording, could not explain: “There must have been reasons for this … <...> We have such a right.”
The situation, which received publicity, became interested in the regional branch of the Union of Journalists – the professional community prepared an appeal to the governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. The message signed by the chairman of the department Dmitry Golovanov is published on the website of the organization:
“This position of the organizing committee of KEF-23 is bewildering.
The Krasnoyarsk International Economic Forum, an event that is known far beyond the borders of not only the Krasnoyarsk Territory, but also Russia, largely determines the future fate of the region. It is carried out, including on budgetary funds. The organizers of the event have the right to refuse accreditation to one or another media outlet, but the editorial office, in this case, must receive clear explanations with appropriate references to the Mass Media Law.
We believe that in this case the basic rights of our colleagues to receive information were violated and we ask you to instruct the relevant structures of the Government of the Krasnoyarsk Territory to provide comprehensive explanations on this fact.
Information about this incident was transferred to the Central Office of the Union of Journalists of Russia and the Center for Legal Aid of the UJR.”
One can only guess what is so seditious and terrible that journalists could see, that they were decided not to be allowed to the forum sites for no apparent reason. Perhaps the organizers of the forum were afraid that the senselessness of the event would appear to the critical gaze of journalists in all its glory? Well, this conclusion could be made when watching online broadcasts.
Apparently, the fear was in another. Over the course of three days, the venues of the forum became a gathering place for Krasnoyarsk officials and politicians, including the governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory who took part in the discussions – it was probably decided to protect the entire nomenklatura army from uncomfortable face-to-face questions from disloyal journalists. But they miscalculated, and it turned out worse than if the journalists were still allowed.
I would also like to add that it is gratifying to see how the leadership of the regional branch of the Union of Journalists got involved in the topic and demanded explanations from the authorities.