"BSA" ORGANIZATION ON SOFTWARE COPYRIGHTS PROTECTION START TO OPERATE IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Nov 28 2007

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 28, NOYAN TAPAN. Business Software Alliance (BSA)
organization started to operate in Armenia in 2007. BSA respresentative
in Armenia Narine Mkrtchian said at the Novemer 28 press conference
that BSA will work in Armenia in three main directions: providing
information about protection of software-related copyrights,
involvement of state structures in the activities on protection of
these copyrights, and protection of BSA members’ interests in Armenia.

Reminding that BSA was founded in 1988 and protects the interests
of software companies, she said that today the major task of BSA in
Armenia is to carry out work on information provision. In her words,
5 big companies – BSA members, including Microsoft and Synopsys,
operate in Armenia. She added that some Armenian companies have
expressed an intention to join BSA.

N. Mkrtchian also reminded that by the results of a monitoring
conducted by their organization, the level of software piracy made
95% in Armenia. She expressed an opinion that in case of considerable
violation of copyrights, the legislation on civil and administrative
infractions, particularly, provisions on damage compensation
mechanisms, rather than the criminal legislation should be applied.