Court Returns Rehabilitates Former Editor at Glos znad Niemna Newspaper. Union of Poles Suspends Its Issue

In the middle of April the Board of the Union of Poles in Belarus fired Andrei Dubikouski from the position of the chief editor of Glos znad Niemna newspaper. Dubikouski was fired because the newspapers circulation decreased under his rule and the newspaper began to play less interest to life of Poles in Belarus. Instead, the board appointed Andzhei Pisalnik to be the editor. Three newspaper numbers were issued after this appointment. Belarusian officials stated Dubikouski was a good editor and it was a wrong step to fire him. As a result, Hrodna Leninski borough court decided to rehabilitate Andrei Dubikouski at his former position and obliged the editorial staff to compensate the harm and the court expenses to him. The total sum is about 1 000 000 rubles.

According to the Board of the Union of Poles, by its verdict the court created a dangerous precedent that can paralyze the organization and demonstrated interference in the internal affairs of the organization.

The organization board stated they would complain against the court verdict and suspend the issue of the newspaper till the superior court instances decide on the legality of Andrei Dubikouski’s rehabilitation at the editor’s position. One of the reasons for the suspension is also the loss the newspaper experienced as a result of the payment of compensation to Andrei Dubikouski.

Andzhelika Borys says she would obey if the court doesn’t change its decision to return Dubikouski to the editor’s position. In this case she would establish the press department of the Union of Poles that will be headed by Andzhei Pisalnik.

Paviel Mazheika, monitoring service of Belarusian Association of Journalists