Why is there no word on available broadcasting?
Today Chairman of the RA Control Chamber Ishkhan Zakaryan denied the authorities' statements claiming that there is no available broadcasting for holding a tender for television stations and announced that broadcasting is actually available.
The issue was raised today by "Heritage" party parliamentarian Anahit Bakhshyan after the chamber's report. The Chamber also studied the usage of state funds and budget entries of the RA Public Services Regulatory Commission and found out that there is available broadcasting.
"If broadcasting is available, this raises a serious issue in the PACE Resolution 1677 in relation to the "A1+" television station. I personally have a bill that says to declare the point about freezing broadcasting tenders until 2011 in the law on "Television and Radio" invalid."
She has postponed her initiative for two months, but is planning to attach the part about available broadcasting in the report of the Control Chamber.
Mrs. Bakhshyan also said that they had met with Co-rapporteurs on Armenia Prescott and Colombier before the PACE sitting.
"I personally told Colombier that many things would not be clear if it weren't for "A1+"'s coverage of the events of March 1-2. "A1+" is currently the only television station with in-depth coverage of events. Although the authorities don't demand that, the society does and the demand must be met."
Mrs. Bakhshyan was not able to say whether Zakaryan's announcement was by chance or not, but "Heritage" member Stepan Safaryan is more than certain that it was not.
"After David Harutyunyan was not able to take out the name of "A1+" from Resolution 1677 and the end of Harutyunyan's fight against free speech and democracy, the authorities make a face-saving announcement that there is available broadcasting. I am sure that this was not by chance and we must do everything we can to get "A1+" back on air."
Stepan Safaryan is rest assured that the authorities will be forced to hold a broadcasting tender whether they like it or not.
"The Armenian authorities are under pressure from international organizations and are not listening to the society. But we are sure that the Armenian authorities have nowhere else to turn this time and tha "A1+" will be back on air."
