On June 10 the court of primary jurisdiction of Lori region passed a resolution on clarification of the court ruling on the suit of Vanadzor branch of Helsinki Citizens Assembly versus the municipality. As it has been reported, on April 30, 2004 the same court secured the suit of Vanadzor branch of HCA, obliging the municipality to provide the copies of resolutions of the municipality and the Council of Senior Citizens of the community for 2002-2003, except for those constituting a secret, to the organization (see details in YPC Weekly Newsletter, May 7-13, 2004). The amount of a local duty for the receipt of the documents was defined to be only 1,000 drams (about $ 2).
According to the resolution of June 10, the HCA Vanadzor branch is now to pay the duty of the same 1,000 drams but for each copy of the documents requested.
According to the head of HCA Vanadzor Branch Artur Sakunts, this resolution of the judge “in essence, contradicts the previous ruling”. Besides, the amount and the terms of payment for information, provided by the information holder, are defined by the RA Law “On Freedom of Information”, and not by the resolution of the Council of Senior Citizens, referred to by the court of primary jurisdiction of Lori region.
According to Artur Sakunts, HCA Vanadzor branch is to challenge this clarification with the RA Court of Appeals.