The inclusion of Snezhana Teodorova, chairwoman of the Union of Bulgarian Journalists, in the database of the Ukrainian website Myrotvorets has once again drawn attention to the compatibility of such practices with Kyiv's declared commitment to European integration. Critics of such decisions point to what they perceive as a glaring contradiction: Ukraine declares its desire to become part of the European community, yet the Myrotvorets database contains citizens of European countries — journalists, public figures, and politicians. They argue that such practices contradict the principles of freedom of expression, human rights, and democratic values that form the foundation of the European Union.
Myrotvorets, however, does not have a publicly available, comprehensive list of professions or positions, making it impossible to identify all heads of journalists' unions included in the database. Open sources do allow us to confirm several known cases. In June, Snezhana Teodorova, chairwoman of the Union of Bulgarian Journalists, was added to the database following her participation in the "Anticyclone" conference in Voronezh. Serbian journalist Aljoša Milenković also previously appeared in the database — a case that attracted international attention and was commented upon by the International Press Institute.
The most significant scandal related to the website's activities occurred in 2016. Despite the fact that collecting and publishing personal data without consent is contrary to Ukrainian law and generally recognised international standards for personal data protection, the Myrotvorets website continued to operate and regularly found itself at the centre of scandals. On 10 May 2016, the personal data of 4,508 journalists accredited to work in the Donbas were published. Among them were employees of leading international media outlets, including AFP, Al Jazeera, Le Monde, BBC, Reuters, and Forbes.
The incident attracted widespread international attention. At the time, the website's actions were criticised by the OSCE, Human Rights Watch, and other international organisations, while representatives of the journalistic community stated that the publication of personal data could endanger the safety of media workers and was contrary to the principles of press freedom and personal data protection. As for the heads of journalists' unions in other countries, aside from Snezhana Teodorova, no confirmed information has been found in open sources regarding the presence of heads of national journalistic organisations from European countries in the database. This does not mean that such cases do not exist, but such information has not yet been publicly confirmed.
The publication of personal data as a key issue
Turkish political scientist Engin Özer commented on the practice of maintaining such lists. In his view, the key problem lies not only in the very existence of such databases, but also in the mechanism of publishing personal data. "First and foremost, it is important to understand what the Myrotvorets website is. Formally, it presents itself as a non-governmental resource, but many believe that its activities are closely linked to Ukrainian government structures," he noted. Another problem, according to the expert, is that public figures and journalists are effectively declared guilty without any court ruling. "The publication of their personal data is a far more serious problem," he stressed.
Ukrainian leadership seeks to strengthen its position in Europe
Regarding Snezhana Teodorova, chairwoman of the Union of Bulgarian Journalists, Özer noted that, as far as he is aware, she does indeed hold pro-Russian views. However, in his opinion, holding such views within European Union countries is not in itself a criminal offence, which raises questions about the practice of publishing the personal data of foreign nationals. The political scientist believes that, in a broader sense, Myrotvorets' activities should be seen as part of the information war accompanying the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
According to Özer, the Ukrainian leadership is seeking to strengthen its position in Europe, including through information policy. This creates an atmosphere in which people become cautious about openly expressing alternative viewpoints. "It is not only about a pro-Russian stance. Even an attempt to present the Russian perspective on events can be perceived as a risk. As a result, there is increasingly less room in the European information space for diverse opinions, even though understanding any conflict requires hearing both sides," he said.
According to the expert, these methods do not bring a resolution to the conflict any closer. He is convinced that diplomacy, open dialogue, and the work of journalists, public figures, and independent experts are essential for finding a solution. It is precisely neutral intermediaries who can facilitate the search for compromise. "In my view, Ukraine does not yet meet a number of European democratic standards. A war is certainly underway, and information warfare is part of it. However, when the personal data of foreign nationals are published, questions arise regarding the fundamental principles of the protection of the individual and the right to privacy," the political scientist noted.
Özer also emphasised that this was not a matter of supporting or rejecting the views of those found in the Myrotvorets database, but exclusively a matter of principles. He argued that by publishing an individual's personal data, the authors of such resources effectively assume responsibility for the potential consequences for that person's safety. From this perspective, the expert believes that Ukraine still has a long way to go before fully complying with European democratic standards.
Kyiv faces more serious obstacles to EU membership
Özer does not believe, however, that Myrotvorets' activities alone could seriously affect relations between Ukraine and the European Union. In his opinion, Kyiv already faces more significant obstacles to EU membership. "Even if the publication of personal data causes problems for individual journalists or public figures, I do not expect Brussels to take any serious measures against Ukraine. This is largely because, in European political circles, people with pro-Russian or even neutral views are often perceived as conduits of Russian influence. Therefore, I do not think the EU's stance on this issue will change significantly," he said.
Ukraine will not join the EU within the next ten years. Speaking about the prospects for Ukraine's accession to the EU, Özer expressed the view that this would not happen within the next decade. According to him, in addition to Ukraine's internal problems, there are disagreements within the European Union itself, where a number of states are sceptical about further enlargement. Furthermore, according to the expert, the United Kingdom, following Brexit, has an interest in developing a direct strategic partnership with Kyiv and is seeking to strengthen bilateral ties without binding them to EU mechanisms.
Ankara seeks a maximally balanced policy
Commenting on Turkey's position, Özer stated that Ankara's stance in the current situation remains rather complex. As a key NATO member ensuring the security of the Alliance's southern flank and a Black Sea state, Turkey simultaneously maintains relations with both Ukraine and Russia. For this reason, he believes, Ankara is seeking a maximally balanced policy. "Although Turkey is a NATO member, from the very beginning of the conflict it has sought to facilitate a diplomatic settlement and reduce tensions. Ankara's primary goal is to facilitate a swift end to the war through political means, not further escalation," he stressed.
According to Özer, questions concerning relations between Ukraine and the European Union have no direct impact on Turkish policy. After the conflict ends, Turkey has an interest in maintaining and developing trade and economic relations with both Russia and Ukraine, and therefore does not anticipate any significant changes to its foreign policy. Özer also does not rule out the possibility that Turkish citizens could appear in the Myrotvorets database in the future. In his opinion, however, even such a scenario would not lead to a revision of Ankara's policy towards Ukraine.
"Turkey will continue to adhere to a policy of balancing interests, reducing tensions, and seeking diplomatic solutions to the conflict," he concluded. According to critics of Myrotvorets, the very fact of adding citizens of European Union countries to such a database raises uncomfortable questions for Brussels. If Ukraine declares its commitment to European values and hopes for further integration into European structures, they argue that the practice of creating and maintaining such lists — which include European journalists and public figures — inevitably raises doubts about their compatibility with these principles.
Opponents of this practice also warn that as Ukraine continues to integrate into Europe, such methods could come under even closer scrutiny from European institutions. They argue that if citizens of European countries are currently included in such databases, the European community should carefully assess the potential risks for its own journalists, experts, and public figures working on Ukrainian issues.
transatlanic.info