EP hearings: Stick for authorities, carrot for Belarusians

The situation of independent Belarusian has been discussed in the European Parliament.

The discussion took place at a meeting of the Committee on Culture and Education of the European Parliament on the initiative of Polish MEP Marek Migalski.

Reports by charter97.org editor-in-chief Natallia Radzina, editorial director of information programming of Belsat TV Aliaksei Dzikavitski and Radio Racyja director Eugeniusz Wappa were heard.

The journalist spoke about the situation of free speech in Belarus, working conditions for media and called on members of the European Parliament to create a special fund for giving direct support to independent Belarusian media, because the EU's support is insufficient.

The editor of charter97.org website spoke about repressions against the popular Belarusian independent media outlet, including murders and arrests of journalists.

“After all repressions that we saw (Lukashenka's regime declared a real war against us), the website charter97.org works from Poland that has borders with Belarus. Belsat TV channel and Radio Racyja work there too. We have the opportunity to work freely today without a fear of being arrested or killed.

Poland's help is not enough. We are working in conditions of a permanent lack of money. I've learnt today that the experience of charter97.org was actively used during revolutions in the Middle East and even in Barack Obama's campaign. But unlike Belarusian media, they had normal financing.

We are asking for your help. It is important to support effective Belarusian projects and not to let them die. I am sure that the work of charter97.org, Belsat and Radio Racyja on Belarus can spread independent information across the country.

It is also important to support the effective media working inside Belarus and develop underground press.

Half-measures won't help. We need the real aid to the Belarusian democratic movement, human rights organizations and independent media. The aid from the European Union is not enough or it is misused.

The European Parliament should understand that the EU has a border with the dictatorship, where political prisoners are being tortured in jails in the conditions that haven't changed since Stalin's times. The problem of dictatorship must be solved finally nad the region must be freed. To achieve it, we need only solidarity and a clear strategy.

Lukashenka's dictatorship has been existing for 20 years killing and breaking lives of millions of people. Lives of Belarusians are in the hands of the dictator. But you also have their lives in your hands and can help us,” Natallia Radzina said.

Belsat's editorial director of information programming Aliaksei Dzikavitski remarked:

“It is an absurd situation that the European Union doesn't support or doesn't give a sufficient support to independent media. We stand for opening a special fund that could help independent media in Belarus. We continue to work in spite of harassment and arrests of journalists. Such media as Belsat, Charter'97 and Radio Racyja need support. It is not our desire to work abroad. We do it because the Belarusian dictatorship cannot tolerate dissidence.

Political changes in the country happen when Belarusian will receive free information. We are able to do it: Belsat has a wide audience in Belarus, Charter'97 is an extremely popular website in the country and Radio Racyja covers the near-border regions,” Belsat's representative said.

Radio Racyja director Eugeniusz Wappa said changes in Belarus would be impossible without support to Belarusian independent media:

“Independent media also include independent Belarusian culture. Many Belarusians unite, work and develop their creative potential around Radio Racyja, Belsat and Charter'97 website. The authorities use all means to attack these media. The real influence of these media provoke a response from the authorities in the form of repressions. The freedom of speech leaves no chances for Lukashenka to exist. If the European Parliament wants to be a serious political institution, it must take adequate decisions. One of them is to open a special programme to support independent media without intermediaries. Instead of financing unclear programmes with vague goals, the EP should support independent media so that they could win the dictatorship,” the director of Radio Racyja said.

MEPs asked charter97.org editor Natallia Radzina how she saw the EU's strategy on Lukashenka.

“Stick for the Belarusian authorities and carrot for ordinary Belarusians. Sanctions mustn't be lifted from the Lukashenka regime today. The situation in Belarus only worsens; political prisoners are still in jails; all liberties have been eliminated; all rights are flouted. Sanctions against accomplices of Lukashenka's regime and businessmen bankrolling the regime must be strengthened. Targeted economic sanctions on deliveries of oil products from Belarus to Europe, the source of income for the dictator's repressive machine, must be imposed. The democratic movement must receive the real aid. Belarusians must have free visas to visit the EU,” Natallia Radzina said.

MEPs said words of solidarity with Belarusian independent media and thanked the Polish authorities for their support of Belarusian media. They noted that the EU should be “ashamed for not having created an instrument to systematically support the freedom of speech in Belarus”.

MEP Marek Migalski urged the European Union to take particular actions and provide aid to Belarusian independent media from the EU budget in the nearest time.

Doris Pack, the Chair of the Committee on Culture and Education, assured she would appeal to the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton with a proposal to create a fund to support Belarusian independent media.

Natallia Radzina also had meetings with representatives of the EP Subcommittee on Human Rights. The Subcommittee is expected to discuss the situations in Belarus and Azerbaijan tomorrow.