“Kommersant” and “Novaya Gazeta” are banned

• 12.11.2007, 12:32

Several Russian newspapers – “Kommersant,” “Novaya Gazeta,” “Moskovskiy Komsomolets,” “Nezavisimaya Gazeta” - were not listed in the subscription catalogue of the “Belpochta” (Belarusian Post) enterprise for the 1st half of 2008.

According to head of the department of press distribution Iryna Astrouskaya, the “Belpochta” has the legal right to select the press for its catalogue. There are no laws telling to include certain printed media to the catalogue. The “Belpochta,” “as a management entity, is entitled to seek economic profit in its commercial activity,” I.Astrouskaya remarked.

As advisor of the printed media department and foreign relations of Belarus’ Information Ministry Galina Gusakova told BelaPAN, there are no limits on Russian newspaper in the country. The “Belpochta” doesn’t need an authorization of the Information Ministry to include these media to its catalogue. Nevertheless, an authorization is required to include other foreign media to the catalogue. “It is not frequent that we refuse to authorize a foreign newspaper,” she remarked.