Pressbol Newspaper Can Cease to Exist

11.02.2005.

On 4 January judge of Minsk Tsentralny Borough Court Valery Yesman ruled to exact 30 million rubles from the editorial office of Pressbol newspaper and 10 million rubles from its chief editor Uladzimir Berazhkow as compensation of the harm done to the minister of finances of the Republic of Belarus, head of Belarus Gymnastics Association Mikalay Korbut. The reason for the suit, filed by the minister, was the publication “Man Wanted by Interpol for Participation in Gang Is Substitute of Minister of Finances” in #128, 28 October 2004. By the way, the person mentioned, citizen of Russian Andrey Imonalli is really wanted and is vice-head of Belarusian Association of Gymnastics.

On 19 January 2005 the founder of Pressbol newspaper, Unitarian enterprise “Pressbol Plius” filed to the Supreme Economic Court the suit in which it asks to find the warning, issued to the newspaper by the Ministry of Information, invalid. However, the complaint wasn’t satisfied and now the editorial board of the newspaper will have to pay altogether 40 million rubles (about $20 000) to Mikalay Korbut. The chief editor of the newspaper says that as a result the newspaper can cease to exist, but the editorial board would file no more complains, being convinced in uselessness of such steps.

On the eve of the New Year Korbut said he would give the money to the collective farm about whom his ministry took care, but then he changed his mind and said he would spend the money on his healing.