The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) strongly condemns the internal pressure on journalists at Belsat, the Belarusian-language television channel that operates from Poland, following the channel’s restructuring. The channel is a subsidiary of TVP, the Polish public service broadcaster. The transformation of Belsat into the Belarusian editorial office of the “TVP Center for foreign language programs” must be carried out in such a way as to preserve the full independence of the newsroom and its operational capabilities, which have been largely compromised.

After the announcement of drastic budget cuts and restructuring that will severely reduce the production capacity and autonomy of the Belsat channel, the Polish authorities have decided, on 15 November 2024, to replace the channel’s director, Aliaksei Dzikavitsky, who decided to leave after 17 years of service, with Alina Koushyk, a member of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya’s shadow cabinet.

Following an interview with the new director, the head of Belsat Belarusian newsroom, Igor Kuley, was dismissed from his position, and the journalist who conducted the interview, Siarhei Padsasonny, was unfairly blamed and threatened.

In August, the largest Belarusian media organisations, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) and the Press Club Belarus sent a letter to the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk asking him to preserve Belsat. Despite this call, according to our information, Belsat’s broadcasting capacity will be reduced from 18 hours per day to 6 hours per day and Belsat’s newsroom will be merged with the editorial office of TVP World.

“With an annual budget reduced to 4.2 million euros, the Belsat channel faces a situation of de facto liquidation,” said Jolanta Hajdasz, President of the Polish Association of Journalists (SDP). “After 18 years of existence, the only independent Belarusian television news channel, which was established to strengthen the ideals of a free and democratic Belarus, is ceasing to exist”. SDP issued a statement on Tuesday calling on TVP “to take immediate measures to maintain the operation of Belsat”.

Another Polish affiliate of the EFJ, the Society of Journalists, will meet with TVP World’s director Michał Broniatowski in the coming days to learn more about the future and independence of TV Belsat.

The EFJ believes that the loss of the channel’s autonomy and the drastic reduction in its broadcasting capacity, if confirmed, would have a devastating impact on Belsat’s ability to deliver news to Belarusians, for whom the channel is the only major independent broadcaster publishing in video format.

“Belsat’s restructuring must not be used as a pretext for unjustified sanctions and intimidation against journalists,” said EFJ General Secretary Ricardo Gutiérrez. “These intolerable pressures must stop immediately. We call on the Polish authorities and the new management of Belsat to refrain from taking reprisals against journalists who are only doing their job and to preserve Belsat’s independence and autonomy, despite its severe reduction in capacity”.