Andrew Macintosh: There cannot be free elections without free mass media in Belarus
An international conference dedicated to democratization of mass media in Belarus took place in Warsaw on June 6 and 7. Representatives of the Belarusian Ministry of Information did not attend it. The head of the sub-committee on mass media of the EC Parliamentary Assembly Andrew Macintosh is sure that there can be no free elections in Belarus without free mass media. He is also sure that Europeans should do everything possible to give Belarusians access to impartial information in Belarusian. ERB: What is the purpose of the conference?
David Macintosh: We would like to support mass media in dictatorial Belarus as much as possible. We want to support the independent press, TV, radio and the free Internet for the people who do not have access to them in Belarus.
ERB: Why is it organized here in Warsaw and now?
David Macintosh: Warsaw is quite close to Belarusian people participating in the conference. They are good speakers. We had a delegation of Belarusians in the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France. It was good. However, Warsaw is easier. The time has come because the parliamentary elections in Belarus are coming at the end of the year. We would like our opinion to be understood: you will not have free elections until you have free mass media.
ERB: What are you expecting from the conference?
David Macintosh: We need to get what we want to get, it is necessary to change the regime, the government. However, we will not get a new government. We cannot cause any dramatic changes. We are going to draw Europeans’ attention to Belarusian problems and we hope they will be able to help as much as they can.
ERB: You said the conference was dated for parliamentary elections. Do you think it will help make the elections more democratic?
David Macintosh: We would like Belarus to have free elections. You need free mass media for it. And they are necessary to be available at any time, not only during the elections. People should be able to weigh decisions about their political future.
ERB: I heard you were planning to adopt a resolution…
David Macintosh: It is true. We are working on a resolution. We will know what we are going to say tomorrow afternoon. It will be a declaration of intentions. It will not proclaim liberalization of mass media in Belarus tomorrow. We can’t.
ERB: What can you do then?
David Macintosh: We can provide moral support. We can give access from abroad: from Vilnius, Belostok and some other places. We can encourage all independent foreign mass media to pay more attention to Belarusians. For example, I am from Great Britain. A British broadcasting corporation BBC brodcasted for Eastern Europe for many years. However, they stopped doing it to pay more attention to Arab countries. It may be justified by they are surely mistaken about Belarus. BBC must take the risk of giving Belarusians an opportunity to listen to free radio and watch free TV. First of all, the radio should broadcast in Belarusian.
ERB: What is your personal opinion about the Belarusian issue? Why are you interested in our country that much?
David Macintosh: Well, I am the head of the sub-committee on mass media of the EC Parliamentary Assembly. I used to be the Minister of Information in Tony Blair’s government. That is why I am so interested in this field. The freedom of speech is only a small part of the activities I was engaged in as a Minister and I am involved in now in Strasbourg.
ERB: Do you hope for a success?
David Macintosh: I am a realist. I do not think we will be able to reach our goal soon without a change of the regime in Belarus (we hope it will happen).
David Macintosh: We would like to support mass media in dictatorial Belarus as much as possible. We want to support the independent press, TV, radio and the free Internet for the people who do not have access to them in Belarus.
ERB: Why is it organized here in Warsaw and now?
David Macintosh: Warsaw is quite close to Belarusian people participating in the conference. They are good speakers. We had a delegation of Belarusians in the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France. It was good. However, Warsaw is easier. The time has come because the parliamentary elections in Belarus are coming at the end of the year. We would like our opinion to be understood: you will not have free elections until you have free mass media.
ERB: What are you expecting from the conference?
David Macintosh: We need to get what we want to get, it is necessary to change the regime, the government. However, we will not get a new government. We cannot cause any dramatic changes. We are going to draw Europeans’ attention to Belarusian problems and we hope they will be able to help as much as they can.
ERB: You said the conference was dated for parliamentary elections. Do you think it will help make the elections more democratic?
David Macintosh: We would like Belarus to have free elections. You need free mass media for it. And they are necessary to be available at any time, not only during the elections. People should be able to weigh decisions about their political future.
ERB: I heard you were planning to adopt a resolution…
David Macintosh: It is true. We are working on a resolution. We will know what we are going to say tomorrow afternoon. It will be a declaration of intentions. It will not proclaim liberalization of mass media in Belarus tomorrow. We can’t.
ERB: What can you do then?
David Macintosh: We can provide moral support. We can give access from abroad: from Vilnius, Belostok and some other places. We can encourage all independent foreign mass media to pay more attention to Belarusians. For example, I am from Great Britain. A British broadcasting corporation BBC brodcasted for Eastern Europe for many years. However, they stopped doing it to pay more attention to Arab countries. It may be justified by they are surely mistaken about Belarus. BBC must take the risk of giving Belarusians an opportunity to listen to free radio and watch free TV. First of all, the radio should broadcast in Belarusian.
ERB: What is your personal opinion about the Belarusian issue? Why are you interested in our country that much?
David Macintosh: Well, I am the head of the sub-committee on mass media of the EC Parliamentary Assembly. I used to be the Minister of Information in Tony Blair’s government. That is why I am so interested in this field. The freedom of speech is only a small part of the activities I was engaged in as a Minister and I am involved in now in Strasbourg.
ERB: Do you hope for a success?
David Macintosh: I am a realist. I do not think we will be able to reach our goal soon without a change of the regime in Belarus (we hope it will happen).
