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Belarusian State Television and Radio Company defiant about its report on European Dialogue on Modernization with Belarus

The reaction of the EU Delegation to Belarus to a television report on the European Dialogue on Modernization with Belarus runs contrary to the EU's own media freedom standards, the Belarusian State Television and Radio Company (BSTRC) says in a statement.

Broadcast by television channel Belarus One on Sunday evening, the report labels the EU's program a Western plot aimed at subjugating rather than modernizing Belarus. The report claims that the secret agenda behind it is to deprive Belarus of state independence by financing dissident groups and creating a pro-Western wing within the Belarusian government to overthrow the constitutional order.

The EU Delegation and the Minsk-based embassies of the EU countries expressed regret at the airing of the report, noting that it contained "incorrect and false information concerning the purpose and content of the European Dialogue on Modernisation."

In its statement, the BSTRC thanks European diplomats for paying "close attention" to its reports and expresses hope that they will remain among its "regular viewers."

The controversial report simply quotes individuals who speak first-hand about the European Dialogue on Modernization with Belarus and allows the audience to make its own conclusions about the program, the statement says.

The BSTRC is confident that the EU Delegation and the embassies of the EU countries will prevent any future misunderstandings by promptly informing the Belarusian media about their projects, the statement says. //BelaPAN