International committee in Lithuania’s Seimas approves idea of setting up radio station for Belarus :: Charter'97 :: News

The Committee on Foreign Affairs in Lithuania’s Seimas has approved the idea of launching a radio station in Lithuania that would broadcast to Belarus and requested appropriate European Union agencies for funding, journalist Nikolai Markevich, one of the pushers of the idea, told BelaPAN.

The creation of alternative and accessible information sources, such as TV and radio stations, in Poland and/or Lithuania is specified by the European Union’s draft action plan for promoting democracy in Belarus.

According to Mr. Markevich, the Lithuanian authorities on April 27 expressed readiness to resume the operation of Radio Baltic Waves that broadcast to Belarus in 2000. The radio station was reportedly funded by Britain and the United States.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis told RIA Novosti that the decision to resume Radio Baltic Waves should not been seen as an attempt “to interfere in the affairs of another country.”

Lithuania “has never been trying to export democracy,” he stressed, adding that the country is “only a model of civil society.”

Mr. Markevich, an ex-MP who had been editor-in-chief of the private newspaper Pahonya in Grodno before it was banned in late 2001, said that the radio station would provide an opportunity to report “uncensored and unbiased information” to Belarusians.

“Despite the Belarusian authorities’ efforts to end freedom of speech and democratic processess, the radio station will resume operation for the good of our people sooner or later,” he said.
The EU`s draft action plan for promoting democracy in Belarus has been submitted for consideration to Benita Ferrero Waldner, EU commissioner for external relations, and Javier Solana, foreign policy chief of the 25-member bloc, in early March.

The EU commissioner said earlier that the information center might be funded out of the EU budgetary funds.