International

Belsat TV journalist accused of assaulting policeman

04.02.2010 00:10

A journalist working in Belarus for the Polish sponsored Belsat TV has been arrested for allegedly beating a policeman.

The incident occurred when police in Minsk tried to enter an apartment rented by Michal Jańczuk, a reporter for Poland’s public television (TVP) and coordinator of Belsat in Belarus, who was not at home at the time.

Inside the flat, however, were employees of Belsat. One of them, journalist Ivan Szulha, who was leaving the building, noticed the attempted police raid and shouted to his colleagues not to let them in. Szulha was then detained and accused of assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest.

“We believe that the Belarusian authorities' action today is another attempt to interfere with and discredit the work of independent journalists in Belarus,” Agnieszka Romaszewska-Guzy, head of Belsat TV said Wednesday.

Belarusian authorities said police were trying to enter the building after numerous complaints from neighbours about noise coming from the flat.

Belsat, say its founders, was set up in 2007 by the Polish government in conjunction with TVP to provide balanced news and cultural programmes via satellite in Belarusian, Polish and Russian languages. Belarusian president, Aleksander Luskashenko has called the project “stupid”, and sees it as another attempt by outside forces to destabilise his regime.

Critics say that the arrest of the journalist is another example of the regime wanting to snuff out independent media in Belarus. This week saw coming into law measures which further tighten freedom to publish and access content on the internet, via a new agency directly answerable to the president. (pg)

source: PAP

Comments: 21 Add new comment

Alex

04/02/2010 09:11:15

I'm sure neighbors was happy that police finally did something about this gross violation of zoning rules. The residential apartment block should me used for running such a noisy business.

It's an illegal stringer that was arrested. In most countries working for a foreign channel full-time requires a local registration. Ivan doesn't have it.

Lech

04/02/2010 12:56:32

It's interesting how polish police would react, if a group of belorussians would establish a non-licensed TV station in block house in Warsaw with programs in Polish to advertise Lukashenko and to critrisize EU and preventing local dwellers from sleeping

)

04/02/2010 15:27:50

Thats a ridiculous comparison comparing someone promoting a dictator with one that promotes democracy. Poland respects all its journalists, in case you people don't know there is pro communist journalists in Poland. The TV station was not licensed for arbitrary reasons linked to the fact that Lukashenko doesn't like someone not towing his line.

04/02/2010 15:30:12

If a licence would be granted this man would not have to do these things in secret preventing his neighbors from sleeping. I find it kind of sad that the biggest concern here is the lack of sleep instead of the lack of freedom in the country. I suggest you people prioritize a littler better.

Lech

04/02/2010 15:54:57

JJ
"Thats a ridiculous comparison comparing someone promoting a dictator with one that promotes democracy"

Who says Lukshenko is a dictator? In my opinion he is a true democrat and patriot.

He did not sell his country to international banking oligarhy - that's why western mass media which is controlled by this mafia hates him so much calling him a "dictator".

In Belarus economy grows fastest in Europe and it also has the smallest unemployment level.

Polish politicians completly sold out Poland to international banksters.Consider Polish natioal debt amount.Who will pay it back? Poland is a latent bankrupt and will join Litva, Iceland, Irland, Greece and other countries, destroyed by international banksters, very soon.
I think real dictators sit in Washington and Brussels.

04/02/2010 16:22:53

He is a true democrat and patriot?" In 2006 OSCE declared the presidential election failed to meet OSCE commitments for democratic elections. Lukashenko permitted State authority to be used in a manner which did not allow citizens to freely and fairly express their will at the ballot box. A pattern of intimidation and the suppression of independent voices is evident throughout the country. He also stated that anyone going to opposition protests would have their necks wrung "as one might a duck." He implemented in Belarus an authoritarian political ideology based on a cult of his personality and nostalgia for Soviet times. You consider that a patriot comrade? A man willing to starve his people of any shred of freedom and dignity. You need professional help, you've been brainwashed.

As far as Polish economics clearly you shouldn't speak of subjects you know very little about. Poland is far from not being able to pay of its debt, history shows once GDP debt ratios of 80% are reached then it becomes a real problem and even then there is many country's that survived that. Poland is not even close to reaching that ratio. Judging by the Polish governments decision to cut deficits it looks like that figure will never be reached. The country's you have mentioned have nobody but themselves to blame for overextending themselves on loans. Nobody forced these country's to borrow beyond their means. Look at your logic I borrow money from you not repay you and the person borrowing the money is the evil one. This is not to say bankers don't take advantage in either case nobody puts a gun to your head. You need to learn some personal responsibility.

04/02/2010 16:27:35

Opening up to these evil westerners probably explains why Poland's living standards are higher than Belarus. How stupid of Poles to want a better living standard, higher life expectancies, freedom, and democracy for their people. Letting people suffer is the price we should pay as long as international bankers can't borrow money to our country. Is that what your suggesting.

Lech

04/02/2010 17:32:43

to JJ

Lukashenko bilds truly independent, safe and peaceful country.Belorussians work in Belarus mostly, and not like 20% of adult polish popupulation somewhere abroad washing dishes in London pubs.Also most gastarbeiters coming to Poland to clean toilets are coming from .... Ukriane where freedom and democracy won

Polish living standars higher than in Belarus? In what sence? Do polish familis have abundacy of free or affordable kindergardens like in Belarus? Do they have free and efficient healthcare like in Belarus? (in Polnd healcare is a true disaster).Yes in absolute numbers in Belarus salaries may be smaller, but they also have propartionally smaller pricers for food and consumer goods. Also comapre 12.8% unemployment in Poland with <2% in Belarus.

About national debt.

"By the end of 2010, public debt in Poland will amount to 19,300 zloty (4,530 euro) per capita, almost twice the current average Pole’s private debt, measuring about 10,400 (2,445 euro).

Despite the fact that, in the coming year, Poles will pay 35 billion zloty (about 8.2 billion euro) to manage the national debt, Jacek Rostowski, Poland’s Finance Minister, is expected to increase that figure by 80 billion (almost 20 billion euro), an unprecedented increase. These figures measure to 2.6 per cent of Poland’s GDP.

Only Hungary has higher public debt management costs than Poland’s. Next year, the Hungarian government will accumulate about 4.3 per cent of its GDP in debt. However, in Hungary’s latest state reforms, its public debt and its managing costs are decreasing; in Poland, the situation is quite the contrary."

http://www.thenews.pl/business/artykul119143_polands_public_debt_increasing.html

Alex

04/02/2010 17:41:34

As someone who travels to Belarus I can confirm what Lech writes. That's why the vast majority of Belarusians are very pro-Lukashenko. Comparing him to other leaders in the xUSSR he is almost a saint.

04/02/2010 17:45:36

"Lukashenko bilds truly independent, safe and peaceful country.Belorussians work in Belarus mostly"

That's because Belarus has no freedom of movement of people, visa's are hardly granted as a way for the President to control his people. Why should a person not be allowed to move to another country to make money when the pay is better, especially if its done legally. This freedom is what will make the economy of the EU strong, where there is a shortage of labor, the gaps can be filled, if there is a shortage of knowledge workers from other country's can fill the gap, not to mention this will spur competition which is the driver of many innovations. Forcing people to live in poverty for the sake of some sort of national pride is silly. Put your nationalistic ego aside and let people decide on their own where they want to work.

"Polish living standars higher than in Belarus? In what sence?"

Compare the GDP per capita between the country's, compare the average earnings of workers, compare the freedom the public has, the freedom journalists have etc. By the way we can take into account GDP per capita (PPP) which takes into account the costs of goods and Poland still tops Belarus by a considerable margin.

" Do they have free and efficient healthcare like in Belarus? (in Polnd healcare is a true disaster)."

Maybe you can explain to me why Poland has a longer life expectancy? Poland is ranked 56th and improving while Belarus is a measly 117th.

"Despite the fact that, in the coming year, Poles will pay 35 billion zloty (about 8.2 billion euro) to manage the national debt, Jacek Rostowski, Poland’s Finance Minister, is expected to increase that figure by 80 billion (almost 20 billion euro), an unprecedented increase. These figures measure to 2.6 per cent of Poland’s GDP. "

This is the result of the current financial crisis, government revenues have dried up everywhere, regardless the debt is still in the manageable range, not to mention Poland had to pay loads of debt off that the communism government created during its years in power.

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