“PRESS CLUB+”: “CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT” UNION DISCUSSING LEGISLATION AND OMBUDSMAN INSTITUTE
On June 13 the eleventh talk show of “Press Club+” series went on the evening air of “Yerkir-Media” TV company.
The invitees of the program host, the Chief Editor of “Aravot” daily Aram Abrahamian were the leaders of “Constitutional Right” Union as guests, and NGO and media representatives as experts. The TV discussion focused on the legislative reforms in accordance with the RA Constitution, amended through a referendum on November 27, 2005, as well as the activities of the RA Human Rights Defender institute.
It is expected that at 21.00, June 20 (next Tuesday) “Press Club+” will give floor to the representatives of Liberal-Progressive Party of Armenia, sharing their opinions on the issues of the day.
SOCIOPOLITICAL REFORMS IN THE CONTEXT OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION
On June 9-10 in Goris, Syunik region, a seminar “The Role of European Integration and Criteria of Sociopolitical Reforms in Armenia” was held by Yerevan Press Club and Friedrich Ebert Foundation. Goris Press Club assisted the conductance of the event. The seminar brought together representatives of media, non-governmental, also journalistic, organizations.
The presentation of the Chairman of “European Integration” NGO Karen Bekarian was dealing with the European Neighborhood Policy as the main direction of Armenia’s European integration. The Chairman of the Helsinki Committee of Armenia Avetik Ishkhanian presented the results of the monitoring of democratic reforms in Armenia, conducted by Yerevan Press Club jointly with a number of NGOs (the report itself can be viewed on YPC web-site, www.ypc.am, in “Studies” section). The role of “the third sector” and “the fourth estate” in the process of democratic reforms was highlighted in the presentation of the YPC President Boris Navasardian. YPC Expert Mesrop Harutiunian spoke about the possible civil society oversight mechanisms in the process. In the presentation of the Director of the Law and Information Center Lilit Simonian steps were proposed to strengthen the human rights, freedom of expression and information practices. The Vice-Chairman of the Center of Regional Development/Transparency International-Armenia Varuzhan Hoktanian noted the rule of law and fight against corruption as the main components of the democratic reforms.
MEDIA AND ELECTIONS
On June 11 in Kapan (Syunik region) “Media and Elections” seminar was held. The event was organized by Yerevan Press Club under “Strengthening Advocacy Potential and Networking of Journalistic Associations of Armenia” project, supported by the Open Society Institute.
The Editor of YPC Weekly Newsletter Elina Poghosbekian and the Chairman of the Council of “Asparez” Journalist’s Club of Gyumri Levon Barseghian introduced to the heads and representatives of the leading media of Syunik region the way the national and regional media covered elections campaigns of 2003 and the Constitution Referendum of 2005. YPC President Boris Navasardian spoke about the role and the targets of the civil society and media during the forthcoming elections of 2007/2008.
PPA SUIT VERSUS “PAKAGITS” REFUSED
On June 13 at the court of primary jurisdiction of Center and Nork-Marash communities of Yerevan hearings on the suit of Armenian Progressive Party versus “Pakagits” daily ended. As it has been reported, the reason for the litigation was three articles in “Pakagits” of March 7, 8 and 11, 2006, in which the Progressive Party of Armenia (PPA) and its leader Tigran Urikhanian were criticized. The plaintiff demanded that the newspaper publish a refutation and make a public apology (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, April 21-27, 2006).
At the session of June 13 the PPA suit was refused.
“A1+” GIVEN A WEEK TO MOVE
On June 9 the representatives of the RA Service of Compulsory Execution of Judicial Acts visited the editorial office of “A1+” TV company and demanded to vacate the premises, as the court ruling required. The premises had been leased to “A1+” by the RA National Science Academy, and the litigation between the parties started in 2005, ending in favor of the Academy, after all the judicial instances were passed. “A1+” said its refusal to meet the demand of the NSA was due to the violation of the existing financial arrangements by the Academy. In July last year the Director of “A1+” Mesrop Movsesian made a written request to the RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian to assist in the prolongation of the lease agreement with NSA (otherwise, having no office “A1+” would have to suspend its “Ayb-Feh” weekly, the web-site and the higher TV journalism courses, as well as “Hamaspyur” TV network, uniting 11 regional companies). Another attempt to evict “A1+” was made by the NSA on March 16, 2006. The “urgent” eviction was prevented by the intervention of the Prime Minister. On May 4, 2006 the Government allocated the founder of “A1+”, “Meltex” LLC, new premises with a right of free use for five years (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, May 5-11, 2006).
After the negotiations with the administration of the TV company the compulsory executors gave “A1+” a week to move to the premises, allocated by the Government.
Meanwhile, as YPC was informed by “A1+”, the delay in the move occurred because of the lack of an appropriate agreement between “A1+” and the Government. Besides, the new premises so far have no power supply and telephone connection.
