Polish Senate Speaker: No trade in media, Belarusian opposition, or Polish minority possible
The Polish newspaper ‘Rzeczpospolita’ has published an interview with the speaker of the upper house of the Polish parliament Stanislaw Karczewski. The Senate representative commented on the situation around ‘Belsat’ and spoke about his recent meeting with the head of Belarus. Here are excerpts from the interview.
Lukashenka mentioned “Belsat”
Did you talk about “Belsat”?
– The President mentioned this TV station and expressed his critical attitude about it. I said [Stanislaw Karczewski – Belsat.eu] that the channel is good to watch and it should continue broadcasting.
Recently, there was information about the reduction of “Belsat’s” financing. There are plans to join the channel with the “TVP Polonia”.
– “Belsat” must continue to broadcast. It is the only completely Belarusian-language TV channel. Plans of Minister Waszczykowski [Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski – Belsat.eu] are probably good, if we talk about the future, and they are likely to go in that direction. But this should be done gradually.
“Belsat’s” management argues that the reduction in funding will result in the liqidation of the channel.
– I am opposed to the liquidation of “Belsat”, but changes are needed. It has nothing to do with the warming of relations with Belarus and trade with the authorities of this country. I have spoken with a lot of Poles and the Belarusian opposition, and all of them have repeatedly raised the topic of the channel.
Please support Belsat by signing the petition
On December 18, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Waszczykowski said in an interview with Wpolityce.pl that the government plans to create a single broadcast channel for Poles living abroad instead of “Belsat” TV .
Honeymoon between Minsk and Warsaw
They say that in exchange for warmer relations with Minsk Warsaw will give up its support for the Belarusian opposition. Is it possible?
– It is absolutely not possible. Our policy has never and will never involve trading with the media, the Belarusian opposition, and the Polish minority in Belarus. This is our position.
Belarus proposes to consolidate the Union of Poles
What did Lukashenka suggest about the Union of Poles in Belarus?
– He proposed to combine the two unions. I said that it is not possible through historical and personal obstacles. I also noted that there are a number of public organizations uniting Poles in Belarus. Lukashenka heard it. I hope that every such attempt to talk will get us closer to solving this problem.
