Espreso will always stay with its viewers

Did we know that we would on the air on the first days of Maidan? Of course not. Although we were preparing for the broadcast for several months. Our plan was to go on air before signing Ukraine-EU Association Agreement. You can see Maria Hurska in Vilnius in these shots. Yanukovych, of course, did not sign anything then. Since then, we have been fighting for this European future.

Both on the air and at the front, where there are many Espreso workers. Unfortunately, there are also those who fell among our colleagues, whom we will always remember.

We also always fought for our own independence. Espreso has never become and will never become the mouthpiece of any political force. And will always try to bring truth to the audience.

The government often fought with us. During Maidan, Yanukovych refused to issue a license to Espreso, and Ukrainian Security Service under his control prepared a plan to physically destroy the editorial office together with Channel 5 and TVi. Espreso received a license in Latvia for satellite broadcasting and began to develop freely in Ukraine only after Maidan.

With the beginning of the war, Espreso was again illegally disconnected from the T2 network. Already current government decided to take advantage of the war, because it hoped for the weakness of the Russian Nazis, and quick victory, after which it would be possible to establish an authoritarian regime on the wave of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' successes.

They were wrong. Victory, unfortunately for all of us, did not come so quickly. And this war itself became a world war of democracy against authoritarianism. And Ukrainian authorities will have to choose: restore democracy or disappear.

No matter what happens, Espreso will always remain with its loyal viewers, we will return to those who temporarily cannot watch us.

Together we will definitely defeat Russian Nazism and become part of the EU, where the rule of law and freedom of speech will reign!

About the author: Mykola Knyazhytskyi, People's Deputy of Ukraine, journalist.