European Parliament member suggests launching TV, radio stations in Lithuania for broadcasting to Belarus 12:19, 23/12/2004
A member of the European Parliament representing Lithuania has suggested launching television and radio stations in that country for providing unbiased coverage of the situation in Belarus. As Aloyzas Sakalas told reporters in Vilnius on Wednesday, the matter was under discussion at a meeting of the EP Socialist group in Strasbourg.
The lawmaker noted that democratization would be possible only if all people living in Belarus have access to independent media outlets, the Belarusian service of the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported.
“The most effective means is radio and television is even more effective. However, it is now impossible to launch a free radio or television station in Belarus, that’s why the only option is opening such media outlets in Lithuania or in Poland at worst and providing from there Belarusian-language broadcasts that will make people in Belarus realize that there is information and opinion different from that distributed by Lukashenko and his supporters,” he said.
Mr. Sakalas said the Belarusian government would have no grounds to accuse Lithuania of deteriorating bilateral relations in the event the European Union provides funds for launching such media in that country.
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