On September 25, Radio “HAY” announced that it goes on strike. The reason of the protest is the order of the RA State Revenue Committee about holding an unscheduled tax audit in broadcasting companies. According to the September 23, 2013 order of the State Revenue Committee’s Head, Radio “HAY” and other radio companies shall be subject to tax assessment to value the “production, mining and sale of minerals, turnover and volume of provided services, shortage of goods, factual, including average prices (tariffs) of sales”, notes Radio “HAY” in its statement. It further says that since the order specifies neither the scope of audit, which should be related to the radio station’s activities, nor the methods of assessment, the management of Radio “HAY” has banned the conducting of the audit. The radio station’s staff considers the actions of the State Revenue Committee illegal and regards them as an attempt to interfere in the activities of independent media, aimed at restricting freedom of speech in Armenia, mentions the statement.
The statement also informs that the strike will last up until October 4. The daily broadcast of Radio “Hay” will be interrupted for an hour, from 12.00, and during the rest of time the radio station will operate on an automatic programming mode.
