The European Commission has concluded a contract with Deutsche Welle Radio for a sum of 138,000 Euro for organizing radio and internet broadcasting for Belarus since November 1, 2005, the European Commission reports.

The programs of Deutsche Welle Radio are to be translated in Russian in the beginning.

The European Commission expected that Deutsche Welle broadcasting would raise the level of awareness of Belarusian citizens in the questions of democracy, pluralism, rule of law, freedom of speech and human rights”.

“We are greatly concerned that the level of freedom of expression of different views in Belarus is low. Over the recent years independent mass media are facing increasingly harsh crackdown. The new initiative gives Belarusian population a possiblilty to listen to independent international radio,” said the EU Commissar For Foreign Relations and Good Neighbourhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner, as quoted by “AK&M”.