Zhanna Litvina: “We shouldn’t be euphoric”
- 27.11.2008, 13:25
Though the authorities lifted a ban on the independent newspapers to be printed in the country and distributed via “Belsoyuzpechat distributing company, it is too early to put great hopes on future, the chairperson of the Belarusian Association of Journalists thinks.
News on lifting a ban on two independent newspapers “Narodnaya Volya” and “Nasha Niva” to be printed in the country and distributed via “Belsoyuzpechat distributing company has been widely discussed in Belarus. Yesterday it was proved that the changes were finally put in practice – editors of the newspapers signed contracts with the state-run companies.
Anyway, opinions on this event split. Some people, like Alyaksandr Milinkevich, think it is a little but progress. The others, like journalist Iryna Khalip, say it is farce and eye service.
“I perceive these events as changes in policy of total control over information environment. It is a remarkable event for the Belarusian independent journalism. I congratulate my colleagues. We can state that something has begun to move. But we shouldn’t be euphoric – a problem of distribution of independent political press still exists,” Zhanna Litvina told in an interview to “Belorusski Partizan”.
“More than ten political independent editions are still forbidden to be distributed via Soyuzpechat news-stalls. Besides, I have exact information that representatives of state institutions are negotiating unofficially with some regional editions, promising them distribution in exchange for loyalty,” she notes.
The BAJ head thinks that independent press may meet stricter attitude of the authorities after a term of EU’s bans suspension expires. If the authorities decided to print and distribute newspapers, they are able to ban them at any moments, stopped playing good guys.
“For all my optimism, I can’t but draw parallels with the recent “electoral campaign”. Europe expected Belarus to demonstrate transparent electoral process. As one of my colleagues aptly said, transparent up to full invisibility,” Zhanna Litvina emphasised.
“Press is power too. Control over press is a means to retain power. I think that global liberation and democratization of media in Belarus can hardly be expected. Any journalist should remember that February 8, when the new law on media will take force, is coming. In this connection, editions must be re-registered, and who knows who will manage to pass re-registration. So, we shouldn’t relax and put great hopes on the future. The same concerns control over Internet media, I am sure it will take place.”