Information Ministry Liquidates “Den” Newspaper

On 28 July Mikhail Padhayny, signed the order to found invalid the registration certificates of 35 editions, the independent newspaper “Den” among them. At present the editorial board struggles to set this decision aside. The process can get more complicated due to the possible retirement of M. Padhayny. According to the press service of PA “Belarusian Association of Journalists” he has recently filed the application for it.

According to Article No. 9 of the action Law on press, the registration certificate of edition loses its force of the edition doesn’t issue a single number for a year. The last but one number of the newspaper “Den” was published on 25 July 2002, the last number, devoted to Hrodna period of Vasil Bykaw’s life was published at Maladechna printing house “Peramoha”, on 23 July 2003. A part of the circulation was spread through private distributors on the following day. “So, the newspaper executed the law demand to be issued at least once per year”, -- is said in the special statement of Henadz Barbarych, “Den” editor-in-chief, filed to the Information Ministry on 31 July.

Some of the ministry workers agree to the arguments of the editorial staff. Talking to BAJ press service, Liliya Bohdan, head of the main juridical board of the ministry, said that the order text was prepared by the department for registration of mass media and the newspaper “Den” was included by mistake. At the same time, Viktar Hhuretski, Head of the registration departments, thinks that the editorial staff was to blame for the mistake, as it should have paid more attention to the situation and informed the ministry.

The editorial boards states that it is the duty of the printing houses to submit copies of the printed newspapers to the ministry and that this decision of the ministry was deliberate. When on 31 July Henadz Barbarych met the minister in one of the ministry corridors, the latter refused to speak, he only said: “What have I to do with this?” and went to his office room.

The editorial staff is indignant with the ministry actions: 3 500 copies of the newspaper remain undistributed as “Belsayuzdruk” and “Belposhta” refuse to take them for distribution, referring to the minister’s order. The newspaper has financial losses. “Especially astonishing is the fact that the ministry needed only several hours to close the newspaper, but has been for more than a week already about setting aside its illegal order”, -- says Henadz Barbarych.

V. Huretski assured the BAJ press service that he was preparing the documents for abolishing the order. It is not known however, who will sign it: M. Padhayny or his successor.

Press service of PA “Belarusian Association of Journalists”