On the 4-5 of December, Global Reporting and the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers arranged jointly a seminar on government commuication. More than one hundred information officers from most of Ukraine’s ministries, authorities, state committees and regional administrations participated along with independent Swedish and Ukrainian journalists.

One of the ambitions of the seminar was to offer a platform for dialogue between information officers and journalists on their roles in a democracy. The discussion was constructive and mirrored a will among the civil servants to do a good job – at the same time admitting that large parts of the system is corrupt. Journlists that are paid to write articles on demand is everyday custom – but despite this being a very sensitive issue, it was discussed frankly at the seminar by both parts. There was a tangible feeling that both parts had the wish to change the systme and find ways towards more open and transparent communication. Many participants agreed that such a frank and open debate had never been held within the premises of the Cabinet of Ministers.

The first day was introduced by the vice-minister of the Cabinet of Ministers Ivan Ratushnyak, followed by the Swedish ambassador John-Christer Åhlander. Among other speakers were Valentin Korolko, professor in public relations from the National University