Belarusian minister of information promises to look into Internet media

Minister of information Aleh Pralyaskouski spoke against accreditation of Internet media representatives and bloggers at any agency.

He said this during a press conference on BelTA website on May 3, Electroname.com informs.

“Before accrediting, one needs to register as a media outlet and then one can tell: “We represent the press, accredited us.” We have had such problems. As you remember, there is Association of Belarusian Journalists (BAJ). Its members showed the card “Press”, but they are not the press, they are members of an NGO. It was a criminal suit, they were banned to use the word press,” the minister said.

“My point of view is that the media must be registered in accordance with the law. The law on the mass media says activity of electronic media will be regulated in accordance with a regulation on mass media. The corresponding draft regulation will be introduced to the government soon. The document will focus on activity of the Internet media,” Aleh Pralyaskouski said.

We remind that the minister of information said yesterday: “Journalists enjoy regarding themselves as the fourth branch of government, but I don’t think so. The press forms the public opinion, this is right. But it should be done carefully. It may take some hours to make the society boil. If there is the freedom of speech, there is responsibility of a journalist for what he or she writes in printed materials or says on the air.”