Head of Belarusian State TV and Radio Company Threatens Entrepreneurs

13.03.2008. Tags: entrepreneurs, freedom of expression, mass media.
Source: Charter`97.

Aliaksandr Zimouski, head of the Belarusian State TV and Radio Company, has answered to the entrepreneurs who had addressed him with a request to give them an opportunity to appear on TV in a live program.

In the letter addressed to the leader of the campaign For Freedom of Entrepreneurship Viktar Harbachou Zimouski wrote:

‘As far as you do not have a right to speak in the name of individual entrepreneurs of Minsk and of the country, in line with the law on collective addresses of citizens the Belarusian State TV and Radio Company denies you a right to appear on air. Your personal request to be granted a possibility to appear in a live program contradicts Article 48 of the Law on Press and Other Mass Media. In this connection the Belarusian State TV and Radio Company warns that you can be brought to administrative, criminal or other responsibility under the Belarusian law.’

One of the leaders of the entrepreneurs’ movement Ales Taustyka has commented on the answer of TV head to Nasha Niva newspaper:

‘The law doesn’t disallow us using our right to demand live program. If Harbachou cannot represent our interests, tell us how many signatures we should collect, and we shall collect them. Small businessmen are ready for any discussion today. Otherwise we are inclined to think that they simply fear us.’