Will the Vilnius region have Polish television?

Andrius Kubilius, former prime minister and also former leader of conservatives, proposed funding of re-transmission of one of the most popular Polish television in Vilnius region from the country’s budget.

Kubilius extrapolated for granting 200 thousand euro from the budget for the Lithuanian National Radio and Television which would intercommunicate with Polish sender about the re-transmission.

– I do not know whether or not that 200 thousand euro was granted  for the re-transmission of Polish television in Vilnius region from the country’s budget for 2017. I am working on the realisation of this project. I am caring out discussions on re-transmission with the Ministry of Communications and with National Radio and Television. Resources are not the most important in this case. It is not so much money that it would be impossible to donate it”- said Andrius Kubilius in an interview with “Kurier Wileński” magazine. Last year Polish Discussion Club appealed for consideration of possibility of broadcasting programmes of Polish Television in Lithuania as a counterbalance of transmitted Russian television’ ones that are commonly watched by Lithuanian Poles.

– I think that today the most important thing is that particular institutions should take care of this case and such program would be under realisation. Personally I addressed necessary writings and during this week I was promised to be given an answer, what is needed for the realisation of this project. In this case it is crucial to cooperate with the right Polish institutions- stressed Kubilius

MPs passed next year’s budget where the spending will be 0,5 bn euro bigger than earnings.

– The Parliament examined over 50 motions for granting additional money but it did not accede to any of them because they were not been given the government’s acceptance. Budget for the year 2007 was accepted yet by the Government of the former tenure. We faced a lot of challenges for that reason. We had to find funds for pay rise for teachers. Promises has been given but one did not foresee, which funds they will depend on. We had many proposition but we did not accept any of them this year. In this year’s country’s budget there is no money for realisation of any additional projects- said to “Kurier” magazine Ramūnas Karbauskis, leader of Lithuanian Peasant and Greens party.

It is assumed the deficit of country’s sector will be 0,7 % GDP- this is 0,1 % less than it was assumed by the project of Algirdas Butkevičius’ government. What influences this the most is postponement of some acts of social model until July next year, resigning from the Sodra threshold, bigger alcohol excise.

– When we will be forming budget for 2008, already by ourselves, we will consider and will be for many propositions. For this reason we are even trying to move date of the elections to the Parliament in order to avoid that kind of satiation that we are currently struggling with. We now have to accept the budget prepared by other parties and we have just a week for make any changes. This is impossible. Now we will hear the backlash of the society that we did not do this or that. They blame us even though everyone understand that this is not our budget. One cannot blame us for not being able to foresee money for actions that are very important to us in the budget- marked Karbauskis.

With the consideration of European Commission’s remarks, structural deficit of the country’s sector will equal 1,2% of GDP- this is 0,1% less.

Budget’s incomings in 2017, along with funds of the European Union and other international support, in comparison to the former variant will grow for 43 bn euro to 8,519 euro, cash transactions slips- for 10 bn euro to 9,07 euro.

– I am for the idea that Poles living in Lithuania should be able to watch Polish television. This is very important. There is no propaganda in polish television, anti-Lithuanian or other. I do not have anything against that. This year we have not been granted any funds for this not because the fact that the Polish television is not necessary but because of the lack of funds- emphasized Ramūnas Karbauskis.