Liberalization in action: subscription to independent media banned

The postal monopolist didn’t include independent newspapers “Svobodnye Novosti Plus” and “Hantsavitski Chas” in the subscription catalogue for the second half of year 2009.

According to the press service of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, on August 11, editor-in-chief of the newspaper Vasily Zdanyuk learnt this from a letter from signed by Belpochta director general Yury Kamarou. The letter was sent in a response to request of returning the newspaper in the subscription catalogue.

“As the law doesn’t oblige to include a newspaper in the catalogue, it is the choice of Belpochta company what newspapers to be included in the catalogue for delivering via subscription,” the head of the state-owned postal monopolist says. “

On this ground, Belpochta finds it unreasonable to include “SNplus. Svobodnye Novosti Plus” in the subscription catalogue.”

Editor-in-chief of “Hantsavitski Chas” received the same answer.

Zdanyuk turns attention to the fact that Belpochta refused to return “SN” in the catalogue in spite of a recommendation of the public coordinative council on mass media.

We remind that only one newspaper (“Babruiski Kuryer”) from the “list of 13” has resumed cooperation with the state-owned distributor after a recommendation of the public council of mass media, headed by Pavel Yakubovich, the editor-in-chief of newspaper of Lukashenka’s Administration “Sovetskaya Belorussia”.