Belposhta refused “Nasha Niva” weekly again

Belposhta post company refused to include national independent “Nasha Niva” weekly into a subscription catalogue for next year. The administration of the company traditionally explained its unwillingness to cooperate with the edition by “economic unprofitability”.

“Belposhta company, being an economic entity, has the right to rule by economic expediency in its activity,” a letter of October 8 signed by director general Alyaksandr Charnyak. “As the law doesn’t oblige the company to include a printed edition into a catalogue, Belposhta has the right to choose editions for the distribution via subscription.”

It should be reminded that last year “Nasha Niva” received the same answer from Belposhta company. Offers of some regional editions to renew their cooperation with Sayuzdruk distributing system were also refused. A latest example is refusal to independent edition “Bobruiski Kuryer” from the Babruisk office of Mahilousayuzdruk distributing company. The letter, received by an editor today, and sent to the Belarusian Association of Journalists, doesn’t explain the reasons of the refusal.

“When the Belarusian authorities seek to demonstrate to the West their course towards democratisation, it would be a normal and positive step to return independent editions, including “Nasha Niva”, into the state system of distribution. But the refusals of Belsayuzdruk and Belposhta show that this democratisations unfortunately remains declaratory,” editor-in-chief of “Nasha Niva” Adnrei Skurko told in a conversation with the BAJ press service.

Belsayuzdruk and Belposhta stopped distribution of a number of independent civil and political editions in early 2006 (ahead of the presidential elections). Their attempts to return into the state distribution system have been unsuccessful since that time.