Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05MINSK1193
2005-09-30 05:44:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Minsk
Cable title:  

Narodnaya Volya Hits Rock Bottom

Tags:  PGOV PHUM BO 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSK #1193/01 2730544
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 300544Z SEP 05
FM AMEMBASSY MINSK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 3074
UNCLAS MINSK 001193 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BO
SUBJECT: Narodnaya Volya Hits Rock Bottom

Refs: A) Minsk 300, B) Minsk 921

UNCLAS MINSK 001193

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BO
SUBJECT: Narodnaya Volya Hits Rock Bottom

Refs: A) Minsk 300, B) Minsk 921


1. (SBU) Summary: A district court froze independent
newspaper Narodnaya Volya's bank account and assets on
September 27. The court also demanded it pay BYR 100
million damages awarded to a government official in a June
lawsuit. With its account frozen and little time to collect
the needed sum, Narodnaya Volya (NV) appealed to its readers
for help. Within 24 hours, NV gathered 70 percent of the
money and transferred it to the appropriate official.
However, minutes after the transaction, a state-owned
distributing company and three publishing houses annulled
their contracts with NV without giving the required one-
month notice. An NV journalist viewed the recent events as
part of the GOB's plan to close NV and told Poloff that they
would be able to print the September 29 and September 30
issues, but doubt they would be able to continue their work
in October. End summary


2. (U) On September 27, the Minsk Leninsky District Court
froze independent newspaper Narodnaya Volya's (circulation
30,000) bank account and assets, including the paper for
printing. The freeze, according to the court, was to force
NV to pay BYR 100 million in damages for allegedly defaming
MP and Liberal Democratic Party leader Sergei Gaidukevich
(reftels). The Minsk City Court threw out NV's appeal to
pay the defamation charges on September 15 and did not
notify the paper of the decision until September 19. Editor-
in-Chief Joseph Seredich filed an appeal on September 23 at
the Supreme Court and was awaiting a response when the
district court froze NV's account.


3. (SBU) The court demanded NV pay the damages owed to
Gaidukevich, but the newspaper had not been given a new
deadline or time to collect the necessary amount. Seredich
appealed to NV readers on September 27 for financial help
and managed to collect over BYR 70 million (USD 32,500) by
September 28. Svetlana Kalinkina of NV told Poloff in a
September 29 phone conversation that a steady flow of
businessmen, individuals, and pensioners came to NV
headquarters to give donations.


4. (U) On September 28, literally minutes after NV
transferred BYR 70 million to Gaidukevich, Belasoyuzpechat -
Belarus' state monopoly of press kiosks and newsstands -
notified NV that its distribution contract with
Belasoyuzpechat would be annulled on October 1 because of
NV's alleged violations of media law. Later in the day, the
Minsk printing companies Krasnaya Zvezda and
Minskgoroyuzpechat annulled its contract with NV. On
September 29, Kalinkina notified Poloff that another
publishing company, Minsk Oblast Soyuzpechat also cancelled
its contract. According to Belarusian law, contract
terminations require notices one month in advance. NV's
contract with the federal mail service Belpochta, which
delivers the newspaper to subscribers, is still valid.


5. (SBU) Kalinkina believes that the GOB did not expect NV
to pay the BYR 100 million fine, especially at such short
notice. Only when NV began paying the fine did the
authorities get frustrated and resort to annulling all NV's
distribution and printing contracts. Lawyer for the
Belarusian Association of Journalist Pustakhov told Poloff
on September 29 that NV would be able to publish its
September 29 and September 30 issues, but would probably be
unable to continue with its normal activities in October
unless it finds another publisher. Currently, NV is
negotiating with other publishing houses, but Kalinkina
predicts NV will begin publishing abroad, either in Vilnius
or Smolensk.


6. (SBU) Comment: The court's unexpected and harsh actions
towards NV and the simultaneous cancellation of NV contracts
with state-controlled companies may indicate that the GOB
has initiated a final assault on the few remaining
independent newspapers. Narodnaya Volya has been fined and
under legal pressure before, but it has always managed to
continue its activities. NV probably would have been able
to pay the BYR 100 million fine, even with the unexpected
bank account and property freeze, but it appears that the
authorities are willing to go the extra mile to ensure NV's
demise.


7. (SBU) Comment Cont'd: It is worth noting that several
officials in the MFA have told us they read NV and other
independent newspapers to stay informed of developments in
the opposition camp. We also believe they read the non-
state newspapers to receive more objective information.
Perhaps the regime has now determined that the perceived
political costs associated with keeping a few independent
newspapers (barely) alive outweigh the benefits. But as
with Belarusian Delovaya Gazeta, NV may still stay alive via
publication in Russia.

KROL