After turning from analogue to digital broadcasting many citizens in our country, who have not set the appropriate device – decoder- are deprived from the opportunity to watch channels, instead Turkish channels of high quality have hosted in their apartments. A citizen, who turned to “Aravot” and we do not reveal his/her name by his request, expressed outrage by saying “such a policy implemented by the state is derision to its people”. Note that when years ago it was decided to turn to digital broadcasting, it caused wide discontent among the people. People expressed concern that buying a device or obtaining a new TV set for the digital broadcasting would be additional expenditure for the citizens, and people would not be able to spend 10-15 thousand AMD to purchase those devices. After these discontents the government decided to provide the citizens, who were in the list of the needy, with these devices for free. But there were citizens who were not in the list of beneficiaries but as they note “they are not less needy”.
“If you come to my place, you will see that half of my parquet does not exist, I do not have normal furniture at home, I do not work, I do not get allowance or pension, it is only my son who works the whole day and we make ends meet with diffitulty. What should the families do, who do not get any support from the state?” our interlocutor asked the people in charge in the government. When this innovation was to be installed, the state structure – the Ministry of Transport and Communication- responsible for this process as an advantage noted that thereafter all the citizens in the provinces would be able to watch 9 channels with new quite different quality, and the people living in the neighboring territories of Yerevan and in the Ararat valley would watch 18 channels. The digitalizing will substantially reduce the energy spent on broadcasting.
He also assured that citizens, who were not included in the lists of the needy, would get the devices at affordable price. But starting even at 7000 AMD the device is not affordable to people. “If even 20 000 AMD is not left for food per month, as 70 -80 percent of our family budget goes on common costs and medicine, where can I get money to buy a device? Even if I put aside 1000 each month, it means we should not buy bread for two days and we will be able to buy that device only in 7-8 months. And till that we will have to watch Turkish channels. We fight against Turkish products but they come to us on their foot and most importantly for free and without any obstacles” said our interlocutor.
LUSINE BUDAGHYAN
“Aravot”
