Strike ends at Kyiv Post as owner and staff reach "tentative agreement"

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Staff at Ukrainian newspaper the Kyiv Post have stopped strike action following a "tentative agreement" with the paper's owner which has seen the return of former editor-in-chief Brian Bonner.

The 30-strong editorial team at the English-language newspaper took strike action following the alleged sacking of Bonner on Friday, last week.

At the time Reporters without Borders and staff claimed Bonner was fired "for disregarding the owner's instructions to kill an interview with the agriculture minister".

Owner of the title, Istil Group, said this was based on "speculative questioning" and "there were no calls from government officials to remove the interview".

Instead they said there was a "difference of opinion" with Bonner which led to his departure. In a joint statement published yesterday staff and Kyiv Post owner Mohammad Zahoor said a "tentative agreement" has been reached which "amicably resolves the situation".

The agreement sees Bonner return to the Kyiv Post not as editor in chief, but as a member of a four-person editorial board.

"This temporary solution allows us to continue working as normal while we continue clarifying the details of a long-term solution and contracts," the statement adds.

According to the statement Zahoor also agreed in a written pledge to the newsroom to "upholding non-interference in editorial policy".

Speaking to Journalism.co.uk member of the new editorial board Katya Gorchinskaya said the agreement is a "real breakthrough".

"We have agreed that this status-quo will last until September and we have options of what we are going to do in this period of time and we will return to the discussion then," she added.