Yesterday Aravot.am inquired from a few regional TV companies whether they had gotten an oral order from the NCTR not to report on parties’ campaigns. Let us remind that the Heritage Party made a statement yesterday, according to which they had gotten trustworthy information from regions that the regional TV companies of the Republic of Armenia had been ordered orally not to report on parties’ campaigns for the upcoming parliamentary election. Furthermore, some local TV companies have participated in competitions, have won scholarships, but now they are denied carrying that out.
Karen Arshakyan, the owner of the Fortuna TV company in Vanadzor, assured Aravot.am in this regard that there had been no such thing, “We haven’t gotten.” Armen Galstyan, the director of the Kyavar TV company that is a member of Geghama Media Holding, also assured, “No we haven’t gotten such an order. We last met with the NCTR 6 months ago. Anyway, I have no such information. If Geghama Media Holding got such an order, I would certainly know. It is an important field for us and certainly we would know.”
Narine Avetisyan, the director of the Lori TV company, said during a conversation with us that she was aware and had read the statement of the Heritage Party. In her words, “I haven’t gotten such an order yet. Frankly speaking, I am expecting that there will be some developments in regard to this topic, there is nothing at the moment; they haven’t applied to us yet.” We inquired from Ms. Avetisyan whether it meant that she was expecting an order, she responded, “You are speaking to a journalist and I understand the meaning of your question. What do you mean I am expecting, what is expecting… what can I say? I don’t know whether I am expecting or not.”
Nara Melkonyan, the head of the press department in the Tsayg TV company, also said, “I haven’t gotten such an order.”
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Let us note that the Heritage Party, being a member of the EPP, reminds that the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) and the Rule of Law Party (RLP) that became members of the EPP signed the Declaration in Brussels and took up a set of obligations. Besides, the Heritage Party promises to draw the attention of international organizations and the monitoring mission to that illegal order of the NCTR.
The NCTR has promised to make a comment on that order in the short run.
H. JEBEJYAN
