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Fate of newspapers Narodnaya Volya, Nasha Niva will be decided in court, deputy minister says

The fate of the newspapers Nasha Niva and Narodnaya Volya will be decided in court, Deputy Information Minister Liliya Ananich told reporters in Minsk on June 20, BelaPAN said.

Earlier this year, the information ministry filed suits with the Supreme Economic Court seeking the closure of the two pro-opposition newspapers. Both Narodnaya Volya and Nasha Niva may be closed down for receiving two and more formal warnings from the ministry within a year.

"Our relations with Narodnaya Volya and Nasha Niva will be decided in court," Ms. Ananich said. "The proceedings have begun and each side has the right to express its opinion. And the court's right is to make the sole and final decision."

Noting recent improvements in the quality of Narodnaya Volya's reporting, Ms. Ananich suggested that "everyone may take positives from this situation."

"What matters most is that they should not violate laws and should love their country," she said. "And all of its difficulties are your difficulties and all of its successes are your successes. If our publications have such an attitude, it will be wonderful. And the law is the same for everyone."

Ms. Ananich dismissed letters in support of the embattled papers sent by their readers to the ministry as a "means of pressure." "I believe that if their staff think and realize that they did violate regulations, everything will be even better later and the newspapers will be developing," she said.