"Novaya Gazeta Smorgoni" Under Threat of Closure :: Charter'97 :: News

Economic court ruled to halt the activities of the founder of the newspaper “Novaya Gazeta Smorgoni”, private entrepreneur Romuald Ulan by May 3 at the latest, setting up a liquidation commission for the purpose. The decision was passed by the judge of the Grodno regional economic court Lomanik.

The lawsuit against Ulan was instituted by the Smorgon district executive committee. The entrepreneur’s activities have been numerously checked by diverse controlling bodies. They revealed violations and fined him many times. All fines had been cleared off. However, the executive committee still addressed the court in order to deprive Ulan of an opportunity to continue entrepreneurship in the future.

Yesterday the businessman filed a counter-appeal to the court. He deems that the executive committee discriminates against him, for nobody else is stripped of entrepreneurial registration in such case. The jury declined the appeal, of course.

The destiny of the independent newspaper is now unclear. Three thousand subscribers may be deprived of their favorite periodical. Yesterday’s court’s ruling can be protested against within ten days.