Inspections of Vremya publishing company spark closure fears :: Charter'97 :: News

Sanitary, fire prevention and tax officers visited the office of Vremya, a private publishing company in Minsk, on May 12, sparking fears that the authorities are preparing to close down the company and its newspaper.

Vremya, which has been subleasing the office from the United Civic Party (UCP), launched a newspaper called the Vremya in 2003 but suspended its publication early this year for financial reasons.

The newspaper was expected to resume publication in June, Gennady Ananyev of the UCP, director of the publishing company, told BelaPAN.

He said the publisher has been repeatedly inspected by various agencies lately.

“Tax authorities inspected us in 2003, and 2004. Then there was a large-scale inspection of the publishing company’s books for two years. Now they have come to inspect us again,” Mr. Ananyev said.

“The authorities seek to close the Vremya before next year’s presidential election. I hope they will not make it,” he added.

He drew parallels with the Minsk-based weekly Zhoda, which police and Committee for State Security (KGB) officers raided on March 24, accusing of subversive activity.

The officers seized four computers in that raid, alleging that they had been used for making collages insulting Belarusian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko.

Since its establishment, the Vremya has been constantly harassed by the authorities for its critical articles.

On June 21, 2004, the KGB expelled the Ukrainian deputy editor of the Vremya, Mikhail Podolyak, accusing the newspaper of biased coverage, libel and incitement against the government.