[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 73 (Monday, June 13, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 13, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                 GOVERNMENT PRESSURE ON BELARUSAN MEDIA

                                 ______


                          HON. STENY H. HOYER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 13, 1994

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, among the former Soviet Republics, Belarus 
has been one of the more conservative. The old Communist Party 
nomenklatura remains in power, and very little economic reform has 
taken place. True, there have been no ethnic conflicts or violence in 
Belarus, nor have we seen any harsh physical repression of the 
opposition. But there has been little movement away from Soviet-era 
structures and, for the most part, Soviet mentality since Belarus 
became independent.
  Belarus will hold its first presidential elections on June 23. 
Unfortunately, I have to note with concern that, according to Russian 
and Belarusan sources, the Belarusan Government appears to be launching 
a campaign to restrict media outlets that do not toe the government 
line. A Government spokesman has charged the Minsk newspaper Svaboda--
the largest circulation opposition newspaper--with national extremism. 
He announced that the Government is revising relations with Svaboda, 
taking into account numerous requests from citizens. The Government 
printing house has refused to print this awkward newspaper, and the 
Ministry of Communications is refusing to circulate it.
  It is important to remember that in post-Soviet Belarus, all the 
major media are dependent, to one degree or another, on the Government. 
The printing houses are state enterprises and the circulation process 
is controlled by the State. Newspapers are expected not to print 
anything that upsets the Government.
  Moreover, according to a press conference held by Belarusan Media 
representatives, two Belarusan radio programs have been suspended since 
May 28. One of them had been planning to feature a live interview with 
a Government official opposed to the planned merger of the Belarusan 
and Russian monetary systems. The suspension of these programs is 
allegedly due to the transformation of the National Television and 
Radio Company into the Television and Radio Committee of the Belarusan 
Council of Ministers, which will strengthen State control of the media. 
This committee is apparently not planning to renew the programs.
  Ideally, the Government of Belarus would stop subsidizing the media 
entirely. If readers object to what they read or watch, they can take 
their patronage elsewhere. But barring that in the immediate future, as 
Belarus moves toward its first post-Soviet Presidential Elections, the 
Government should ensure that the media remain free to publish the 
entire range of opinions in the country.
  The opposition Popular Front has accused the authorities of creating 
unequal conditions for the election. Specifically, opposition activists 
charge that the State-controlled Belarusan media plan to broadcast 
remarks by democratic forces at inconvenient hours, and, in general, to 
skew the coverage of the campaign in favor of the Prime Minister, who 
is the leading candidate for the Presidency. The Helsinki Commission, 
which I am proud to cochair, plans to send observers to the Belarusan 
Presidential election. They will investigate whether restrictions on 
the media have influenced the outcome of the election and will issue a 
report on their findings.

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