BILLS ON “MASS INFORMATION” AND “TELEVISION AND RADIO” DISCUSSED
Support A1+!On October 14 Hranush Hakobyan, Chair of Parliament’ Committee on Science, Education, Culture and Youth Issues met OSCE Yerevan Office head Ambassador Michael Wagent.
The Ambassador had initiated the meeting to discuss the bills on amendments suggested to the bill on “Mass Information”, passed by the first stage, and the one on “Television and Radio” authored by MPs Vazgen Khachikyan, Levon Mkrtchyan and Samvel Balasanyan.
CE representative Natalia Vutova, Armenian Justice Deputy Minister Ashot Abovyan. Yerevan Press Club Chairman Boris Navasardyan, “Internews” social organization representative David Sandukhchyan, MPs and other people interested took part in the meeting.
Greeting the guests, Mrs Hakobyan informed that suggestions over the bill had been received, which had been discussed and mainly approved. According to her the Committee aims to work out a law that won’t endanger speech freedom.
By Justice Deputy Minister Ashot Abovyan’s word, the law on “Mass Information” will be one of the most advanced laws as detailed work has been done and laws of other countries have been studied. 99% of suggestions have been included in the bill, mainly introduced by Yerevan Press Club, “Internews”, “Avangard” Weekly, MPs Artak Arakelyan, Rafik Petrosyan and Samvel Shahgeldyan and representatives of information field. Only the suggestion by Yerevan Press Club saying there must be no state Mass Media was not accepted.
At the meeting the amendments offered to the Law on “Television and Radio” were discussed. OSCE and CE experts’ group objected to 3 of them.
The main objection was to the principle on establishment of a council and a committee on television and radio. The bill co-author Vazgen Khachikyan considered it expedient the authors and experts to work jointly and to elaborate a bill.
