MINISTRY REQUIRES MONEY FROM RADIO COMPANIES

Panorama.am
19:16 17/01/2007

All radio companies were informed in writing by the ministry of
communication and transport before Christmas to pay air service fees
accumulated in 2006.

The size of the payment differs for different radio companies. Radio
Van has to pay 900 thousand drams, Hay FM – 8 million Armenian
drams. The companies are confused why and whom should they pay
the money.

"If something happens with the radio frequency, we used to apply to
Telecommunication Republican Center CJSC. Now there is no regulatory
institute and we do not know who to pay the money," Shushanik
Arevshatyan, Director of Van, told Panorama.am.

The companies were informed by the ministry of transport and
communication to make the payments by December 25, 2006 referring to
the law on electronic telecommunication. Aram Lazarian, director of
Hay FM claims that he has consulted the law and learned that it does
not refer to radio and TV.

"We are not protected. If we make the payment, we do not understand
why and who should we pay quite big sums of money," Shushanik
Arevshatyan said.

Some eight radio companies have addressed a letter to the ministry
of transport and communication asking to find ways out of the
situation. Panorama.am tried to learn from the ministry what they
are going to do but got no response.