Empty Victory for Narodnaya Volya

UNCLAS MINSK 001410

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BO
SUBJECT: Empty Victory for Narodnaya Volya

REF: A) MINSK 1193 B) MINSK 1387


1. (SBU) Summary: On November 17, the Minsk City Economic
Court ordered the state-run publishing house, Krasnaya
Zvezda (KZ),to begin publishing the independent newspaper
Narodnaya Volya (NV) again after KZ broke its contract with
the paper. However, it is unlikely KZ will actually print
any issues of NV before its original contract expires due
to the lengthy appeal process that the publisher will
almost certainly pursue. Moreover, it is unlikely that NV
will be able to re-gain access to the state distribution
network or postal subscription service. End Summary.


2. (U) On November 17, the Minsk City Economic Court ruled
in favor of the independent newspaper Narodnaya Volya (NV)
in its case against the state-run publishing house,
Krasnaya Zvezda (KZ). The court ordered KZ to begin
printing NV again after KZ terminated its contract with the
paper on October 1 because of a EUR 900 debt (ref A).
[Note: The paper was able to continue printing via a
publisher in Smolensk, Russia.]


3. (SBU) NV deputy editor-in-chief Svetlana Kalinkina is
not optimistic about KZ's resumption of printing despite
the favorable court ruling. She told Emboff on November 21
that she fully expects KZ to appeal the court's decision.
No printing will occur before the appeal is heard. The
appeal process most likely will not be concluded before the
end of the calendar year, which is when NV's original
contract with KZ expires. KZ is under no court obligation
to renew its contract with NV at that time, and therefore
the independent newspaper regardless could lose access to
the state publishing house.


4. (U) NV's case against KZ is just one of five that NV
filed after being excluded from the state distribution and
newsstand networks. On November 17, the Minsk City
Economic Court ruled against NV in the paper's cases
against Belsoyuzpechat, the state organization running the
monopoly of kiosks and newsstands - and its Minsk branch,
Mingorsoyuzpechat. NV plans to appeal the decision. NV
has two additional cases pending; one against
Minskoblsoyuzpechat, the Minsk regional branch of
Belsoyuzpechat, and another against Belpochta, the state
distribution network.


5. (SBU) COMMENT: The court decision forcing KZ to resume
printing could be an empty victory for NV; even though the
court has ordered KZ to resume printing of NV, the appeal
process, if KZ chooses that route, suggests that it will
probably not happen. Presumably, KZ was ordered to stop
the presses and its decision to appeal would also emanate
from the presidential administration. With two rulings
against them and only two decisions pending, it is not
likely that NV will make much headway against the state
distribution and postal monopolies. It appears NV will be
forced to resort to its plan of establishing its own
distribution network around the country and asking
volunteers to hand them out on the street without charge
(ref B).

KROL