Kubilius requests 200, 000 € for transmission of Polish television

Andrius Kubilius, who has lost the elections in a single-member constituency of Vilnius and Šalčininkai, suggests that retransmission of one of the popular Polish TV stations in Vilnius could be financed by national budget for the next year.

Kubilius asks for admission of 200, 000 € to the Lithuanian Radio and Television Centre, which would communicate with the Polish broadcaster.

“This is not an innovative idea, it was written and spoken about a lot in our programme, in which we gave lots of attention to the Polish national minority and its situation in Lithuania. During meetings with the residents of Šalčininkai district I understood that the proposition is still valid. Unfortunately, in many small towns along the Belarusian border people who do not have access to cable or Internet television have a better TV reception of Russian or Belarusian television, and not Lithuanian one, and they cannot watch any Polish TV station. It is a big mistake to leave people in such an information field, where Russian propaganda works better”, said Andrius Kubilius in an interview for the “Znad Wilii” radio station.

“A year ago I spoke to the management of the Radio and Television Centre. They confirmed that they could possibly retransmit one of Polish stations in Vilnius and mentioned a price close to what I put in my request”, added Kubilius.

After the first reading in the Parliament a project of national budget for the next year is going to be sent back to the Government to be corrected. The second reading will take place on 18th December. This day the Parliament will also choose a date of approval of the national financial plan for 2017.

“I hope the new government will be rational enough to accept some propositions, since they do not require big amount of money”, emphasized Kubilius.