The constitutional amendments campaign has launched. Aravot.am tried to find out from the “Yes” and “No” fronts whether the price for one minute TV broadcast and the time provided for the campaign is convenient to them. H-2 and H-3 television stations provide one minute TV broadcast for 60 thousand AMD, “Yerkir Media” – 20 thousand AMD, and “Shant” – 110 thousand AMD. As defined by the Central Election Commission, the campaign videos over the public television will be broadcast from 06:00 p.m. and by public radio – from 13:30 and 21:40.
NA MP, PAP press secretary Vahan Babayan, in an interview with Aravot.am, said, “It is the problem of the TV companies and not my problem to comment on such matters.” In response to our next question, Vahan Babayan said that he thinks that every hour will have problems. “It is the same as saying which hours are convenient for the pensioners and our fellow citizens living in rural areas, which hours are convenient for the students, in other words, rumors can always occur in terms of timing. And naturally, we are not focused on such matters.” While the Vice-President of the Board of the “Heritage” party, Armen Martirosyan, said that if the government had not completely closed the financing of the opposition by the country businesses, or if the state had allocated sufficient money, then it would not be too expensive. “By and large, they are not extraordinary prices, moreover, it is regulated by the law. Still being a parliamentarian, I reached the point that the prices for the political campaign should not be higher than an average for the last 6 months. Earlier, it was too high, it was several times higher than the prices for usual commercial ads, but also thanks to my effort, it was reduced, and now, it is not more that the commercial ad,” he said.
Referring to the hours for the campaign, Armen Martirosyan said, “No, what are you saying? It is a very convenient timing. Our citizens are in the transport during this timing, especially in Yerevan, they are in the transport for an hour or an hour and a half, they are just coming back home from work, they will rest a little and get home. Indeed, it is a very convenient time so that no one will watch it. In this respect, they are acting very clever too. It is a very convenient time for not watching.” The Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission, Tigran Mukuchyan, announced that the same timing was used during the previous parliamentary and presidential elections, but no has not submitted any distress was presented in this regard. “Yes, he is right, because possibly fewer citizens were planned to watch the opposition campaign in the previous years. Thus, it is a very convenient timing, a very suitable time for not watching, and those hours are chosen,” said Armen Martirosyan.
Ami CHICHAKYAN
