DO RADIO FREQUENCIES BELONG TO DEFENCE MINISTRY?

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This resembles a stick that can be used at any point,” said Movses Hakobyan, a legal consultant of Internews Media Support NGO. He meant a provision of the Law on Defence adopted by the Armenian Parliament at the turn of 2007. The provision envisages full surveillance upon the system of information and communication.

The law (Item 3, Article 9) says: “The development of the system of information and communication (including all substructures) as well as the resources of radio frequencies is agreed with the Ministry of Defence through a state authorised body of the sphere.””

Mr. Hakobyan notes that the law provision doesn’t stem from the rules of free market and equal competition. “If we mean the development of the given sphere, there must be no restrictions. An agreement with the Defence Ministry hinders the sphere’s natural development. Besides, under the law on electronic communication highlights public interests and national safety,” said the lawyer.

The provision is hazardous for mass media and all subjects of the communication sphere. Mr. Hakobyan is concerned that our society is unaware of this initiative. “If the issue were put under consideration we would start heated debates, and most likely the provision may not have been adopted.”

Today Internews NGO has submitted a proposal package to the Council for the Support of Information Technologies (CSIT). The CSIT Secretary Armen Grigoryan says they partially agree to Internews’ observations. “Our working group is presently conducting online discussions. After the proposal is ready, we shall apply to the Council President, incumbent Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan,” said Grigoryan.