PRESS CONFERENCE IN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

National Assembly, Armenia
Sept 29 2006

On September 27, Mr. Arshak Sadoyan, member of "Justice" faction
convened a press conference for presenting his considerations related
to the issues of the telecommunication system. Highlighting the role
of the fourth power, Mr. Sadoyan called on the representatives of
mass media, with the participation of political forces and NGOs to
fight against ArmenTel, to organize rallies in order to repress the
increase of tariffs. He believes that a civil society protecting
its rights should be created. Mr. Sadoyan presented the ArmenTel-RA
Government relations, touching upon the sale transaction of the
ArmenTel company.According to Mr. Arshak Sadoyan, it is necessary
to address the Commission for Regulation of Public Services with the
demand of not discussing the request of increasing the subscribers’
payment. The MP also highlighted the active participation of the
political parties, also called on the journalists to participate at
the October 6th forthcoming meeting.

As the MP Mr. Arshak Sadoyan assessed, the ArmenTel company wins
a profit of 35m USD by increasing the subscribers’ payments from
1100 AMD up to 3000 AMD. Touching upon the world tendencies of the
tariff increase, Mr. Sadoyan noticed that in the world the tariff
is reduced twice every 18 months, whereas in Armenia the opposite
process is noticed.The MP also considers an important precondition
of the development of the telecommunication system the quality and
accessibility of the Internet connection.