BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

Published August 24, 2005

EU funds pro-democracy station in Belarus

By UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL

BRUSSELS -- The EU has beefed up its efforts to promote democracy in Belarus by financing a new independent radio program broadcasting into the former Soviet republic.

Deutsche Welle, Germany's international broadcasting station, has been chosen to carry out a 15-minute daily news program covering political, social and economic matters within what has been dubbed Europe's last dictatorship. The programs will also be available from the Internet in both audio and text versions, the European Commission said Wednesday.

"We are extremely worried about the lack of freedom of expression in Belarus. Over the past years independent media coverage in Belarus has met increasingly tight restrictions," said the External Affairs Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner. "It will increase their awareness of the deteriorating situation of democracy, the rule of law and human rights in their country."

The commissioner's statement was crystallized by Minsk closing yet another independent newspaper Monday. The paper was deemed guilty of publishing verses insulting President Alexander Lukashenko, according to the Russian Mosnews agency.

Source:

http://www.wpherald.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20050824-124330-6481r

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