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WILL THE OPPOSITION RENOUNCE POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENTS?
[05:56 pm] 09 February, 2007

According to Artashes Geghamyan, the fact that the National Committee of TV
and Radio has stated the price of one minute of political advertisement as
80 thousand AMD is the greatest victory of the opposition. `Do you see how
much the authorities are afraid of the speech of the opposition that they
have stated such a high price?’ He is sure that the members of the Committee
have carried out the orders of Serge Sargsyan and Robert Kocharyan.

the National Unity is not going to make use of the opportunity of paid
advertisements as `it is immoral to pay 80 thousand AMD for a minute to make
people acquainted with their own situation of 70% of poverty’.

Member of the Orinats Yerkir party Mher Shahgeldyan shares the opinion of
Arthur Baghdasaryan that by these prices the TV Companies violate the equal
rights of competition of the candidates.

Secretary of Justice bloc Grigor Haroutyunyan noted that «one can make use
of the paid political advertisements only by dirty money». Leader of the
National Democratic Union Vazgen Manoukyan noted that even developed
countries do not have such prices.

As for the authorities, they claim that everything has been done within the
frameworks of the law, and the 80 thousand AMD is stated not only for the
opposition but also for them. Leader of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun faction Hrayr
Karapetyan voiced hope that they will be able to make use of the chance by
means of donations. And Galoust Sahakyan complained saying that «People want
to acquire power without having anything».