In an interview with the newspaper “Rzeczpospolita” the head of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs was asked whether “Belsat TV” would get more or less funding from the government. Waszczykowski said that channel’s funding would be cut.
“I do not have anything to do with “Belsat”, except being one of these donors. We will continue to support them. It will be smaller, but sufficient to survive. I have a duty to fund “TVP”, in particular, the ‘Polonia’ channel, which was given less money, but that which is more instrumental for the Polish foreign policy,” the minister said.
According Witold Waszczykowski, Poles in Belarus are asking to broadcast “Polonia” and “TVP Culture” instead of “Belsat”.
“We have very conflicting reports about the impact of “Belsat” on the Belarusian society. Support to civil society can be done differently and more effectively,” said Waszczykowski.
Polish Foreign Ministry planned to cut more than two-thirds of “Belsat” budget — from 17 to 5 million PLN — said earlier “Belsat” director.
Witold Waszczykowski previously stated that he “did not want to, but had to” cut funding, because he had no money for our project “due to other tasks”. An example he gave was help to Syrian refugees.
On December 18th, Witold Waszczykowski said that the Polish government plans to create a single channel for foreign Poles instead of “Belsat” TV.
In early January, Beata Szydło assured “Belsat” management that the channel was not in danger.
