Starting 3 March, Ministry of Culture will stop issuing letters of travel abroad to journalists and artists
Starting from 3 March 2025, the Ministry of Culture will suspend the issuance of letters of support for the travel of artists and media professionals liable for military service abroad. The decision will last until the relevant issue is regulated by law.
This was reported by the Ministry's press service, Censor.NET informs.
"Due to gaps in national legislation, there have been numerous cases where persons who have received permission from the State Border Guard Service to temporarily travel abroad under a letter of assistance from the Ministry have not returned to Ukraine within the established time frame.
To achieve legal certainty in this matter, the Ministry initiated changes at the end of 2022 that would minimise the use of cultural diplomacy for illegal travel abroad during martial law. However, as of today, this issue remains unresolved," they explained.
Currently, the Ministry of Culture has drafted amendments to the Cabinet of Ministers' Resolution "On the Rules for Crossing the State Border by Citizens of Ukraine" dated 27 January 1995 No. 57, which is currently undergoing interagency approval.
"The proposed draft amendments regulate the issue of exhaustive requirements for the Ministry's decision to issue a letter of assistance to men of military age working in the field of culture, information security, strategic communications and linear audiovisual media for their temporary travel abroad during martial law.
In this regard, from 3 March 2025 and until the regulatory and legal regulation of this issue, the Ministry suspends the issuance of letters of assistance to the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine regarding the departure of this category of persons beyond the state border," they said.
The Ministry of Culture added that it understands the importance and necessity of constant international cultural and media interaction and is currently working to resolve this legal ambiguity.
