No tender until 2010?
The National Assembly's standing committee on science, education, culture, youth and sport issues denied the draft presented by the "Heritage" faction.
The bill on "Making changes in the RA law on "Television and Radio" co-authored by "Heritage" MPs Anahit Bakhshyan and Armen Martirosyan, was discussed by the first reading. The co-authors propose to acknowledge Part 14, Article 59 of the RA law on "Television and Radio" according to which television stations will not receive licensing for broadcasting until June 2010 as out of effect.
According to the authors, the adoption of the bill will contribute to freedom of speech, functioning of pluralism, as well as the formation of an environment of mutual confidence between the society and the government.
According to main speaker for the bill Anahit Bakhshyan, the change in the law has a political subtext, but Deputy Minister of Economy Vahe Danielyan denied that and said that the government's concept on digitalization of television broadcasting is ready and will probably be confirmed during the government's upcoming session.
The bill wasn't passed after a vote by committee members.
