CHAIRMAN OF AZATUTIUN RADIO STATION EXPRESSES HOPE THAT RA NATIONAL
ASSEMBLY WILL NOT ADOPT BILLS GIVING RISE TO CHALLENGES

YEREVAN, JULY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Jeffrey Gedmin, the Chairman of the
Azatutiun (Liberty) radio station, criticized the bills being discussed
in the RA National Assembly, the application of which can stop the
broadcast of the Armenian service programs of the Azatution (Liberty)
radio station by Public radio. At the same time, he expressed hope that
these bills will not be finally adopted and will not become a law. This
information was provided by the Azatutiun (Liberty) radio station.

"The target of these bills, which formally prohibit the broadcast of
any foreign programs in the Armenian language on the frequencies of the
Public Radio, are, evidently, the programs of the Armenian service of
the Azatutiun (Liberty) radio station. This will serve as a dangerous
precedent for the public mass media of all the countries of the former
Soviet Union, countries, where people have been listening to the
programs of the Azatutiun (Liberty) radio station for tens of years in
order to receive such news, which is inaccessable by the local mass
media, which is controlled by the state. I hope that the Armenian MPs
will reconsider their attitude towards these incomplete bills," Jeffrey
Gedmin said in his statement.