BelGazeta owner: The newspaper was illegally taken over

The newspaper was taken over illegally, former CEO and the majority owner of BelGazeta Kiryl Zhyvalovich announced. The information about Andrei Bandarenka’s appointment to the position of BelGazeta director is not true, he said.

"The editorial office has been taken over and Bandarenka is one of the participants. Lawyers are working now. All the details will be made available on Wednesday,” Zhyvalovich wrote on Facebook.

The businessman has not revealed any details to Euroradio but has confirmed his words: “Bandarenka has been appointed without my consent. This is illegal.”

Euroradio has contacted Andrei Bandarenka and he has commented on the situation:

"I cannot comment much but it was not a seizure. The director [Kiryl Zhyvalovich] had been absent from work for a year and the newspaper was on the verge of closure in December. The director was replaced legally. Furthermore, it would make no sense to seize a loss-making company."

The rights defender will come to Euroradio studio on 22 January to elaborate on the details of his appointment and the future plans of BelGazeta.

Kiryl Zhyvalovich became the stock-holder of BelGazeta in 2017.