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CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEE NEEDED FOR FREEDOM OF SPEECH?

Politics

Does the draft constitutional amendments adopted in the first reading guarantee freedom of press? Should freedom of press be fixed in the constitution? Won’t the Presinent’s absolute right of forming commissions including the NCTR become sword of Damocles for TV companies. We asked President of the Yerevan Press Club Boris Navasardyan and chairman of the Associating of Investigatong Journalists to comment on the issues.

Boris Navasardyan

The Constitution should create guarantees for any democratic institute. Freedom of speech is not an exception. I think we will have serious problems with censure during the next several years. It would not harm if the Constitution excluded any kind censure. Declarations on freedom of press should be adopted. The acting Constitution empowered the President to solely form commissions. It refers not only to press but to any independent body. The right of the parliament to form various independent commissions should not be ruled out. The role of the parliament in the formation of National Committee on TV and Radio should be primary.

Edik Baghdasaryan

There is not a problem of Constitution and law in Armenia. Who said that the Constitution should guarantee freedom of speech? Is there need to fix in the Constitution a clause that would fording spiting in the street or nibbling sunflower seeds? No. Thus freedom of speech should be clear as it is.

Mher Arshakyan