Editors of independent newspapers: “We are being played with like puppets”

“Narodnaya Volya” has been returned into the state network of distribution, “Nasha Niva” weekly is to be the next. However, other independent media are still under unequal conditions with state-run mass media.

Weekly “Svobodnye Novosti” was crossed out of the state subscription catalogue of Belposhta 6 years ago. By a miracle the newspaper managed to preserve relations with Belsayuzdruk, so the newspaper is still sold by kiosks of this state-run organisation, Radio Svaboda informs.

However, if there were no limitations for subscription, the today’s circulation of 22,000 could be much higher, the editor-in-chief Uladzimir Zdanyuk informs. In September, he recalls, he sent a letter to Belposhta asking to return “SN” into the subscription catalogue, but he didn’t get any answer. The fact that “Narodnaya Volya” and “Nasha Niva” have been given such permission looks like a positive sign for him.

“If the Belarusian authorities would be consistent, I hope the next step would concern other media, and they would solve their problems with distribution and printing. I hope very much that it is the first step to be followed by next steps,” Uladzimir Zdanyuk said.

The editor-in-chief of “Svobodnye Novosti” greeted activities of the Belarusian Association of Journalists which according to him defends interests of independent media in relations wit the state.

Regional newspapers are in especially difficult state because of absence of subscription. Weekly “Volnae Hlybokae” had a circulation of 3,500 three years ago, and now only 2,100. As said by the editor-in-chief, Uladzimir Skrabatun, it had become hard to sell “Volnae Hlybokae” which is liked in neighbouring districts. In Sharkaushchyna and Myjory districts, he says, vendors of newspapers are detained by police, though they have all necessary documents. U. Skrabatun does not believe that “liberalization” in the sphere of independent media would outstep “Narodnaya Volya” and “Nasha Niva”.

“I was told by a man from an agency which knows everything (Do you understand what I mean? The one which has three letters in its name), that “Volnae Hlybokae” newspaper is on a special list of oppositional media, in which one gets for a long time,” U. Skrabatun said to radio Svaboda.

As said by him, local branches of Belposhta and Belsayuzdruk are interested in their return, as it would help to reach sales targets, but it is hampeerd at the regional level.

Baranavichy newspaper “Intex-press” ahs a circulation of more than 16,000, it is one of the most popular newspapers in the region. Its editor-in-chief Uladzimir Yanukevich believes that even permission of the regime to return the newspaper into the common network of retail and subscription won’t improve the situation with unequal conditions for state and independent media.

“We are being played with as if we were puppets, and the problem is not resolved fundamentally. On February 8 the new law on press comes into force. It is even worse. And if some media are returned into the nationwide network, in a few months they can be easily thrown away. That is why it’s good news, but it’s not even a step, not a half, but one quarter of a step towards freedom of expression in Belarus,” Uladzimir Yanukevich believes.