Radio wars as EU funds assault on Lukashenko's grip on media

BELARUS: Lithuania has joined neighbouring Poland in broadcasting radio programmes into Belarus, as part of EU efforts to break President Alexander Lukashenko's stranglehold on the country's media before crucial elections.

The first programme beamed from Lithuania's Baltic Waves station included a call from Belarussian opposition leader Alexander Milinkevich for Mr Lukashenko to step down after leading his country of 10 million people into isolation over the last decade.

The US has called Mr Lukashenko "Europe's last dictator" and accuses him of rigging elections and crushing political opposition and free media to retain power.

Both Washington and Brussels have targeted the March 19th presidential elections as a chance to put pressure on the former collective farm boss, and the EU has earmarked €2 million for programmes aimed at boosting independent media in Belarus.

"Tight controls on the media in Belarus make it hard for Belarussians to find independent sources of information," said Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU's external relations commissioner.

"I look forward to the day when Belarus will have its own free media."

Earlier this month, Poland relaunched Radio Racja broadcasts into Belarus, where most critical publications have been shut down and journalists are regularly harassed.

"We want to offer Belarussian people two hours of normal life, free choice and no propaganda," said Radio Racja chief Eugeniusz Wappa.

The presidents of Poland and Lithuania helped broker a peaceful end to Ukraine's so-called Orange Revolution, which ousted a pro-Moscow old guard in favour of West-leaning opponents.

Mr Lukashenko has warned the EU and Washington not to expect a similar outcome in Belarus, and has told the security services to be alert to any civil unrest. Russia, his closest ally, is watching events very closely.

On a visit to Belarus this month, US deputy assistant secretary of state David Kramer urged the government and opposition to conduct peaceful and fair elections.

Mr Lukashenko, who is genuinely popular in much of Belarus, seems undaunted.

"Let them come and look - even our adversaries," he declared recently.

"We all know they will besmirch our election. But they know in their hearts what is truly happening here."