HAK demands equal rights for Yes and No camps during TV debates
During the discussion of the report of Council of Public TV and Radio Company in the Armenian National Assembly, the opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK) proposed the Council Director to organize TV debates within the framework of referendum campaigning which will provide equal conditions to “Yes” and “No” camps. HAK has issued a statement saying the program “Triangle” launched by Public TV on the first day of the campaign makes mockery of the principle of equality. “The anchor of the program is Armen Ashotyan, Minister of Education and Science and Deputy Chairman of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK). In addition to this, the program has a biased audience that applauds at every attack of the program host on the opposition representatives. It is obvious that the ruling regime is afraid of providing equal footing to “Yes" and "No" fronts during TV debates. In no democratic country of the world will you find a public (or even private) television where the host is a ruling party leader, rather than an impartial and unbiased journalist. This is an evident conflict of interests which shows the regime’s ideas about democracy,” the HAK said. The opposition faction says this is the second time the regime shows its contempt for the basic principles of democracy and free speech and its interest in changing the Constitution. “This shows once again that the authorities lie and cheat people when they say the Constitution is amended for the sake of Armenia and the welfare of our people.” The Armenian National Congress demands that the authorities immediately create a format of public debates that will be conducted by impartial professionals and will provide equal conditions for both camps.
