Zhanna Litvina: independent media policy of the authorities remains extremely tough

A new law on media, which is likely to be adopted by the “house of representatives” in the nearest time, will make life of journalists more complicated. It was said by the heads of the Belarusian Association of Belarus (BAJ) on Thursday.

BAJ head Zhanna Litvina noted this draft law “had been worked out in closed regime.” According to her, neither national nor foreign independent specialists were involved in the draft law formation, Deutsche Welle reports.

“Our authorities have repeatedly said they are ready to send the draft law on media for European experts review to be made. It the official Minsk thinks of developing relations with the European countries, European institutions, these promises should be fulfilled,” Litvina is sure.

More negative than positive

According to Andrei Bastunets, BAJ deputy head, the draft law has more shortcomings than advantages: “Businessmen can’t now act as editors of mass media, only legal persons have such right; 30-pecent limit on foreign capital in media funs is to be imposed; delivering of foreign media production will require a permission, the Ministry of Information is working out a common format of press card.”

There a number of other introductions, making work of journalist and mass media more difficult. For instance, media must preserve originals of the spreading materials for a year instead of 6 months as before. Departure from generally accepted language norms, work of foreign journalists in Belarus without accreditation are forbidden. A regulation on spreading false information that can harm state and public interests is also to be introduced.

The draft law defined mass media as “forms of periodical spreading of mass information by means of press, TV and radio broadcasting, global computer network Internet.” The Council of Ministers is authorised to determine order and of media delivering via the Internet. As Yury Taparashau, lawyer from the BAJ Center for Legal Protection of Mass Media, noted, “it is an absolutely abnormal when such delicate sphere of information work will be regulated by the cabinet of ministers, in other words by only officials, without interference of law-makers.”

Professional consolidation needed

Zhanna Litvina emphasised the “issue concerning with safety-danger of the current authorities is circulation of the information on the Internet. A desire to control the Internet is another proof for me that policy of the authorities towards mass media, especially independent ones, remains extremely tough. This policy is coherent and logical. It is the situation today when professional solidarity is needed.”

Zanna Litvina concluded: “We require a wide discussion on the norms of the draft law. We will remind the “deputies” about responsibility for the steps, taken by them during voting for the draft.”

Meanwhile, BAJ deputy head Andrei Bastunets stressed there were some advantages in the draft law, in particular, Internet-variants of registered in the Ministry of Information printed media, are not subject to special registration.

Besides, “the draft law doesn’t contain requirement to coordinate media distribution with local authorities to register media. It was an impassable obstacle for moist potential media founders. Moreover, it was impossible to contest judicially the actions of the local authorities. However, there are no guarantees this won’t appear during the reading of the draft in the parliament,” the BAJ lawyer worried.