“Kentron” TV Company has determined 108 000 Drams for a minute of propaganda on TV, “AR” has determined 100 000 Drams. It seems that the price determined by the Public Television is inexpensive, 80 000Drams /about $222/, but we should remind that political advertising on Public television cost $120 in the elections 2003. The oppositionist parties worry about unprecedented prices considering it as inequality of conditions with the opposition. “Aravot” tried to find out from parliamentarian forces their attitudes towards this price policy yesterday.
ULP faction representative Grigor Ghonjeyan predicted what the authorities would say in answer to the accusation of high prices: “That price is determined for each force”. In his opinion “Inequality occurs according to financial resources”. Grigor Ghonjeyan reminded: “Everything has risen in price”. He also noticed a positive thing in it: “The responsibility of your own speech rises. You must say very important things by paying such big amounts”.
“National Unity” leader Artashes Geghamian declared: “I consider determination of 80 000 Drams as a great victory of the opposition. It means they are afraid of the oral speech of the oppositionists.”
OEP deputy leader Mher Shahgeldian noted: “The prices are high, indeed, and this causes a competitive problem”. ARF faction leader Hrayr Karapetian answered the question in the following way: “But those 80 000 Drams are for other parties, too, it isn\’t only for the opposition. Taking into consideration the fact that a lot of private TV Companies operate in Armenia, the market must regulate the problem.” He also noticed: “Certainly, the potentials won\’t be equal but the conditions are equal”.
NDU leader Vazgen Manukian drew a parallel that parliamentarians in Canada had no right to spend more than $50 000 during the elections: “It is strongly checked, and if they have spent more than $50 000, the election is considered invalid”.
“People\’s Deputy” group representative, RPA member Mkrtich Minasian said: “The prices are high enough. If we take into consideration that the pre-electoral fund is 5 million Drams, the person has a possibility of 62 minutes.”
RPA faction leader Galust Sahakian noticed that TV Companies themselves determined the prices. “No law has been broken. People think that they must do nothing but they must come to power because of their good ideas, – Galust Sahakian noted, adding that it couldn\’t be so. – The party must think of itself, and one of its components is financing. If you have neither political, nor financial capitals, but have good ideas, you should write books. You must be strong to do something for the society.”
Galust Sahakian prefers free of charge propaganda: “Visiting everywhere and ask what problems people have.” In answer to our question will he use only free of charge propaganda, Galust Sahakian said: “I\’ll use my feet, my mind, my words. And I have been using for years. It isn\’t expensive.”
P.S. Boyana Urumova, the CE secretary general\’s representative in Armenia, speaking about the high prices determined by the Public Television for political advertising declared: “This is one of those items which will be taken into consideration by the observers”.