In theory…
Mikhail Pastukhov, left, head of the BAJ Law Center for Media Protection, believes that after the new law on mass media and information is introduced, harsher and more drastic moves on the part of the authorities should be expected towards both printed and electronic mass media. The situation would be particulalry difficult for those who work for foreign media.

Andrei Bastunets, right, BAJ deputy chair, shares this opinion. According to him, the new media law will "cause a headache" to media publishers and owners. Mr. Bastunets stresses that though the law regulates online media, no clear criteria as to what should be regarded as an online media has yet been developed. Furthermore, the law provides for yet another re-registration of media outlets. Mr. Bastunets sees as a problem the fact that not so much depends on the law itself as on its practical application, which has already proven that no positive changes can be expected.

… and in practice
Recent events in the country only support cautions of the BAJ experts. On 13 January, the Minsk region court ruled that the Bukas Media Center (BMC), a publisher of an independent weekly Borisovskie Novosti, be fined with 18 million BYR (est. 18000 USD). BMCwas found guilty of “illegal economic activity” for selling printed materials without indicating in the license the location of the sales outlet. However, Anatol Bukas, the BMC head and Borisovskie Novosti editor in chief, claims that when selling newspapers at the local market, the law does not require indication of the sales outlet in the licence. Like most other independent newspapers, Borisovskie Novosti is denied distribution through state distribution and subscription monopolies, Belsayuzdruk and Belposhta. At the end of 2008, the Borisov municipality canceled BMC’s license to sell published materials. And in early January this year, the Plutas publishing house where Borisovskie Novosti was printed discontinued the printing contract with the paper.

Even “officially allowed” newspapers, Nasha Niva and Narodnaya Volia, experience problems and obstacles. The ideology department of Minsk municipality prohibited Nasha Niva advertisements in the city subway. Yet again a journalist of Narodnaya Volia was denied an accreditation at the Parliament wihtout any further explanation as to what reasons were.