Will A1+ cause suspension of statute?
"The decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) does not suggest that A1+ should be returned to the air," says Zohrab Mnatsakanian, Armenia's permanent representative to the Council of Europe.
"People are under the impression that once the ECtHR has made a decision A1+ will be back to the air," adds Mr. Mnatsakanian. "Though I read A1+ and it is an important source of information for me, the ECtHR decision doesn't legally imply A1+'s reopening. It is almost impossible today as you have to take the broadcasting frequency from one company and give it to the other. This is also a breach of law from the legal point of view."
Zohrab Mnatsakanian reminded that the ECtHR verdict is liable to implementation from different parts. The first refers to the payments connected with the violation and the other to the publication of the decision. These two requirements are already met and publicized. They are available on the corresponding official websites. The other two parts refer to the implementation of general and individuals measures aimed at redressing the violation.
"The individual measures suggests restoration of the violated right, which in its turn, suggests announcement of a tender. Presently, the Republic of Armenia is carrying out the general measure which will ensure implementation of the individual measure. This is an indispensible part of the verdict."
In reply to our question why the country doesn't announce a tender, Mr. Mnatsakanian said: "That is where the problem is. We plan to implement the individual measure through the general measure. It refers to the changes inside the commission, procedures and forms."
Anyway, the Ambassador notes that the realization of the individual measure has been disturbed. "Confusion has been caused as the issue was raised in the Armenian Parliament by a minister interested in digitalization."
Asked how long A1+'s issue will left unaddressed in the CoE Committee of Ministers, Zohrab Mnatsakanian said: "The issue cannot remain unaddressed for ever. We have come across cases when the lack of implementation led to an unpleasant situation and made the Committee adopt a rough decision or resolution up to the suspension of the statute.
The CoE Committee of Ministers is a political body and can ensure implementation of its decision through political levers. We should be more reasonable and solve the issue within the frameworks of the current reforms in Armenia, i.e. inner freezing. Only in that case A1+ will have an opportunity to participate in a tender."
