Booking of circus workers and telethon: head of the Ministry of Culture reacts to “hate”
9 April 2024 21:19
Acting Minister of Culture and Information Policy Rostyslav Karandeyev has responded to Ukrainians’ discontent over the booking of circus and telethon workers, Komersant ukrainskyi 
reports.
Karandeyev said that he was outraged by the hate around the topic of booking cultural and media workers.
“This is a simple disrespect for people in the sector who do their job honestly and efficiently, a primitive assessment of their social significance, as well as the importance of culture in a country at war. How can we draw conclusions about the importance of a cultural institution just by its name? The State Enterprise “Directorate of Travelling Circus Troupes of Ukraine” is not a street tent, as someone draws in their imagination, but a professional team of highly skilled masters of their craft,”
– he wrote.
Karandeyev added that the specifics of this team’s work are constant tours throughout Ukraine, being on business trips 11 months a year, travelling to the de-occupied territories, and performing in hospitals, shelters, and unsuitable premises.
The acting Minister of Culture and Information Policy noted that the Directorate of Travelling Circus Companies of Ukraine had only submitted 14 people for booking.
“This is less than 10 per cent of the total number of the entire team! These are 11 performers of the most complex circus genres and 3 more technical staff who are inextricably linked to the artists and without whose participation performances simply do not take place. 8 employees of the Directorate of Travelling Circus Troupes of Ukraine are currently defending our homeland as part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,”
– said the acting minister.
Regarding the booking of telethon workers, Rostyslav Karandieiev said that the Ukrainian media is a “pillar of national security” of Ukraine during the war, when the enemy manipulates public opinion, spreads disinformation and outright lies.
Karandeyev stressed that the algorithm for booking cultural and media workers has been established by the Cabinet of Ministers since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion and has not changed.
“We have booked and continue to book employees of theatres, music institutions, circuses, without whom the work of these institutions is impossible,” he said,
– he stressed.
It should be noted that the Ministry of Culture has included the state-owned enterprise “Travelling Circus of Ukraine” in the list of critical enterprises. As a result, it will have reservations for 50% of those liable for military service.
The Ministry of Culture has also recognised the TV channels participating in the United News telethon as critical to the functioning of the economy and the life of the population during the special period.
We would like to add that on 4 April, Kommersant Ukrainian published an article on whether journalists will eventually have reservations and which media outlets are entitled to them.
Read more in the article:
Is there areservation for journalists in Ukraine: what do editorial offices and parliament say?
