OSCE concerned of mass media bills in Armenia

Today, Miklosh Kharashti, OSCE's mass media representative, has stated his concern of the bills prepared in Armenia in relation to activities of mass media.

We note here that the National Assembly of Armenia has started consideration of the bill on amending the law in force "On Television and Radio."

The bill suggests banning broadcasting of any organizations in the frequencies used by the Public Television and Radio Company (PTRC). The government justifies the change by the fact that operation of the PTRC has a special status, which cannot be combined with operation of other organizations broadcasting in the PRTC frequencies, since these organizations have other tasks, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent informs.

According to another draft, offered by the government, amendments are supposed in the law in force "On State Dues." Under the draft, each broadcast of a local edition or a foreign mass media by a private Armenian broadcasting company shall be levied by a state due at a rate of 70,000 drams (about 200 US dollars), irrespective of the duration of the program.

In the opinion of some of the deputies, the above bills are directed against broadcastings of the Armenian Service of Radio Liberty by Public Radio.