GOVERNMENT PROPOSES LIQUIDATING LIMITATIONS TO TIME FOR PROGRAMS BROADCAST IN NATIONAL MINORITIES’ LANGUAGES

Noyan Tapan

Dec 3, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 3, NOYAN TAPAN. On December 3, the Armenian
parliament in the first reading adopted a bill authored by the
government envisaging amendments to the law On Television and
Radio. According to the bill, the current limitations to broadcasting
special programs in the languages of the RA national minorities is
liquidated. According to the limitations, the general duration of
such programs on television is set to up to one hour a week and on
radio up to one hour a day.

According to the main reporter, RA Minister of Justice Gevorg
Danielian, the amendments’ necessity proceeds from the requirements
of RA Constitution’s Article 27, expanding national minorities’ right
to receive and convey information in their language, as well as brings
the law in line with Council of Europe experts’ proposals, provisions
of the frame convention On Protection of National Minorities’ Rights.

In the opinion of bill’s opponents, including RPA member Armen
Ashotian, the Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Science,
Education, Culture, Youth, and Sport Affairs, if the limitation is
liquidated, the TV air can be flooded with unlimited Russian-language
programs, therefore it is expedient instead of liquidating the
limitation to double the time permitted at present.