The Armenian authorities have set the goal to lead private TV companies to bankruptcy. This is stated in the statement issued by the Media Advocate Initiative. The statement particularly reads as follows:

“On April 16, the National Assembly of Armenia approved the government’s proposal to make amendments to the Laws on Television and Radio and on Advertising. Unfortunately, the Armenian media’s calls and requests remained unanswered, and taking advantage of the declared state of emergency, the parliament legalized the policy on leading private television companies to bankruptcy and restricting freedom of speech.

The Media Advocate Initiative states that the amendments to the Laws have dealt a blow to private television companies in terms of funding in the case when Armenian Public Television is the only television company out of the companies operating through taxpayers’ money that has no financial issues since it is funded from the state budget.

The consequences of this policy will be devastating for freedom of speech and democracy and will soon be reflected in the reports of international organizations and will definitely lower Armenia’s reputation as a country considering democracy and freedom of speech as an overriding value."