RPA Board member Grigor Minasyan des not share the concerns that with the EaEU accession Armenia would face sad consequences with regard to freedom of expression.
– Recently, in your interview to “Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” newspaper, you have made a remarkable observation, “Clause 18 of journalists’ accreditation procedure adopted in 2009 and still functioning at the National Assembly obviously is contrary to Article 6 of the RA Law on Mass Media.” You had noticed that the activities of the Chief of Staff of the National Assembly should be directed to reconsideration of such matters. Are you planning to offer a professional aid to your party friend?
– I am ready to render my humble professional aid, both, to my party member and to any non-party member, who would agree to take a positive step towards the improvement of the legislation. However, with or without my support, the current legislative defect in the NA journalists’ accreditation procedures, I hope, soon will be eliminated.
– According to you, did our courts apply the law decriminalizing “excessively positive” libel adopted by the efforts of PRA wrong to the extent that even the Constitutional Court had intervened in the judicial practice? It turns out that the law is good, but not the implementers. When is the best time to get the good laws rid of poor implementers?
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– The law was applied not in full, because it was new. In any country, the accurate execution of new laws is a time-consuming process. And the only way to get rid of poor implementers of the laws is the public and the state compulsion. In Armenia, this compulsion is gradually being improved. In fact, the public compulsion and control pleasantly surprise everyone with its development speed and efficiency. In turn, it becomes possible thanks to non-restriction of such opportunities by the state supreme bodies and the state liberalization.
– The constitutional reforms concept paper is made public. According to you, will the reforms regarding the judicial system enable ensuring further good application of the laws, regardless of the individual.
– Constitutional reforms definitely would provide new opportunities for superior protection of the law and improvement of the judicial system, but we can talk about this in more detail when the draft for the constitutional amendments will be available, or at least, the elaboration of the draft will commence. Accordingly, I will be able to answer your question more objectively and thoroughly when the drafting phase of the amendments arrives.
– In its report published on January, this year, the Human Rights Watch international prestigious organization noted that there is a lack of diversity in Armenia’s broadcast media. As the year ends, are any changes of the situation noticed?
– Indeed, unfortunately, there are still a party-oriented TV channels in Armenia. At the same time, effectively competing with each other, they definitely provide some diversity. I think, today, there is no viewpoint in Armenia that does not have its wide spread opportunity. However, we would like to see diversity in every media, and in this respect, there are already many good positive examples and developments.
– According to estimates by some analysts, with Armenia’s accession to the EaEC, we would face sad consequences in terms of freedom of expression. To what extent are these predictions justified?
– I think they are not justified at all, because the accession to the economic union nowise can affect the level of protection of political and civil rights. During the tenure of President Serzh Sargsyan, the freedom of expression in Armenia was defended so stable and progressed that it has become a part of the national values system and thinking. And what is the true value of our society cannot be eliminated or transformed when affiliating to a union.
Interviewed by Nelly GRIGORYAN
