EXPERTS AT COUNCIL OF EUROPE TO HELP ARMENIA COMPLETE ELABORATION OF LAW ON TELEVISION AND RADIO

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 20 2006

YEREVAN, October 20. /ARKA/. Experts at Council of Europe will help
Armenia complete elaboration of the law on television and radio,
the CE Secretary General Special Envoy Bojana Urumova said Friday in
Yerevan, at a seminar focused on freedom of speech.

Urumova said that the Council of Europe has helped Armenia elaborate
the law on freedom of information in conformity with European
standards.

Armenian Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan, in his turn, said Armenia
is a country of transition period and democracy here is still
underdeveloped, and the same goes with the freedom of speech.

Armenian lawmakers voted down bill on radio and television and
National Radio and Television Commission regulations at the first
reading last month.

Under the amendments, the commission will be made up of eight members,
half of which will be elected by the parliament for a six-year term.

Other four members will be appointed by the country president.

The bill also lifts restrictions for Public television and Radio to
advertise by removing the provision restricting commercials duration
to 5% of total duration of programs from the law.