New law on mass media comes into effect in Belarus today

Representatives of the journalists’ community and officials have a different opinion about the law “On mass media” that will come into effect on February 8. For example, the deputy chairperson of a civil association “Belarusian Association of Journalists” (BAJ), lawyer Andrei Bastunets, thinks that the law has a number of regressive sides. In his opinion, the law has a few nuances making the problem of the press more complicated. The number of cases editions do not have to give account for has been reduced a lot – for example, reprinting information from other mass media.

Andrei Bastunets drew attention to the fact that the new law did not contain any description of the procedure of appealing refusals of accreditation. There is no procedure of accreditation of foreign journalists either. Furthermore, the new law obliges journalists to check information from official sources: press services of state and non-governmental organizations.

On the other hand, officials think that the new law is more democratic that the previous one. The deputy Minister of Information Liliya Ananich noted that mass media no longer had to consult local legislative and executive authorities before publishing something.

Moreover, she noted that the procedure of extension of the term of consideration of applications for state registration of mass media had been abolished.

BelaPAN