Lukashenka Openly Contravenes His Own Constitution :: Charter'97 :: News

Alyaxandar Lukashenka has formulated his attitude towards the Second National TV Channel headed by G. Kisel that is being created now: “What concerns the working control of actions, we cannot privatize ideology, the objects and subjects of ideology. They should remain under control of the state”. However Article 4 of the Constitution of Belarus in both versions (of 1994 and of 1996) states: “Democracy in the Republic of Belarus is realized on the basis of the variety of political institutions, ideologies and opinions”. And the Article 33 of the Constitution in both specifies that: “Monopolization of the mass media outlets by the state, non-state associations or citizens, as well as censorship, are forbidden”.

Independent lawyers of Belarus believe that having created a second TV channel A. Lukashenka has made his situation more problematical: the “natural” monopoly of the First TV channel now to become evidently unnatural and openly anti-constitutional.