HEAD OF CPA MONITORING MISSION APPLIES TO PACE DEPUTIES

Noyan Tapan
Jan 25, 2010

YEREVAN, JANUARY 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Taking into consideration the
discussion of the report under the title Respect for Media Freedom to
be held in PACE in the future, Anahit Sargsian, the Head of the Center
for Parliamentarianism of Armenia monitoring mission, on January 25,
conveyed to PACE deputies information that all Armenian TV channels
grossly violating the demands of the RA Electoral Code did not take
part and in essence, boycotted the NA deputy by-elections at Yerevan
electoral district N 10, for which the opposition figure being under
arrest ran.

It was mentioned that the TV channels not only provided no information
to society about the process of elections but even refused to broadcast
the agitation materials presented by the opposition candidate. They did
not take part, either, in the press conferences of the only long-term
monitoring mission in the election campaign and did not broadcast
anything about it. As a result, the pevailing part of voters was not
aware of either the process of elections or the candidates.

As a motivation of such information, the January 15 decision of the
National Committee of Television and Radio was presented to PACE
deputies, according to which, the assertion on non-fulfillment of the
requirement of part 4, Article 20 of RA Electoral Code is ungrounded
as the TV channel cannot declare the price for each minute of paid air
in case it has not intended to provide paid air time for broadcasts
on election campaign."