A ban on the import of books from the Russian Federation will kill the book trade in Ukraine, culture and intelligence
The law on restricting access to the market of Russian printed products under the pretext of their possible anti-Ukrainian content, adopted in the first reading by the Verkhovna Rada, if it comes into force, will lead to the curtailment of the legal book trade and the final shadowing of the book market. In addition, damage will be caused to the culture and intelligence of the inhabitants of Ukraine, because the country itself today is not able to satisfy the demand for book products.
This is stated in the appeal of the Association of Book Publishers and Book Distributors of Ukraine to the heads of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech and Information Policy, on Issues of Culture and Spirituality.
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The authors of the appeal explain that, according to the draft law, it will be necessary to obtain a special license for the import of each type of printed product. This will make legal import unprofitable, booksellers say.
Today, only 27,5% of total book imports are legally imported from Russia. Moreover, more than 70% of all printed products on the Ukrainian market are Russian products.
If the law comes into force, manufacturers of counterfeit products will finally take over the market, the Association warns. This will lead not only to the curtailment of legal trade, but also to the loss of taxes.
The bill may also complicate the export of Ukrainian printed materials to Russia, since “mirror” sanctions may be adopted there.
The need to license imported products will increase their price by 1,5-2 times, which will lead to a decrease in demand - readers will simply flow to the electronic content segment, i.e. Russian companies selling books via the Internet.
" Implementing the law will impact the nation's culture and intellect. The publishing industry alone is unable to fill those niches, particularly in scientific and technical literature, translated publications, international bestsellers, and so on ," says Oleksandr Afonin, President of the Association of Book Publishers and Book Distributors of Ukraine.
Unfortunately, the authorities do not listen to the opinions of publishers and booksellers and the initiatives they put forward, he says.
“The law is absolutely unprofessional; it will completely block the book market of Ukraine. Today, book chains exist, rather, thanks to imported books than domestic ones,” says Alexander Afonin.
Last year, 36 million copies of books were published in Ukraine, of which 16 million were textbooks and auxiliary educational literature under government orders. Only 20 million is the so-called. market book.
“Without being an economist, you can understand what 20 million a year is for a population of 42 million. Will any chain or bookstore pay off? How many of these books can she collect in order to survive in the conditions of the current solvency of the population? – says Alexander Afonin.
English version :: Read in English A ban on book imports from Russia will destroy the book trade in Ukraine, its culture, and its intellect.