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Parliamentary Assembly Assembl�e parlementaire |
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Case of A1+ television channel
Doc. 10084
12 February 2004
Motion for a recommendation
presented by Mr E�rsi and others
This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it
1. Cancellation of the broadcasting license and ceasing transmission after the failure of its bid in the tender for the allocation of the frequency of A1+ Television channel, one of the popular channels functioned in Armenia (April 2002), before the presidential elections 2003, caused deep concern and serious doubts at developments of audiovisual media and state of pluralism in the electronic media sphere of Armenia.
2. Despite regular and numerous bids by A1+ (Meltex) in every following call for tenders for allocation of frequencies, each time the National Television and Radio Commission refused to award a broadcasting license to TV Channel, even not paying attention to the opinion of the international observers considering the tender made by A1+ the best one. (The same story happened with Noyan Tapan, which also had to cease its transmission in September 2001).
3. The International Organisations – OSCE, Freimut Duve and the OSCE Representative for freedom of the media and the Council of Europe have also expressed their disappointment and anxiety concerning the state of pluralism of the electronic media in Armenia.
4. According to Armenian public opinion, press, oppositional parties, NGOs and also Mr. Movsisyan, president of A1+ and Mr. Harutunyan, president of Noyan Tapan, the reason of rejection to award the license to the channel are the political motives of the case.
5. The Assembly, taking into consideration that the case of A1+TV has received a very strong reaction of public opinion and also harms media pluralism and free access to information in Armenia:
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expresses its deep concern regarding the state of pluralism of the electronic and audiovisual media in Armenia ;
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insists that attention be paid to the case of A1+ presaging a serious threat to the ongoing democratisation process in Armenia ;
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asks the Committee of Ministers to investigate the incident of A1+TV.
Signed
[1]:
E�rsi, Hungary, LDR
Akhvlediani, Georgia, LDR
Bargholtz, Sweden, LDR
Baška, Slovakia, SOC
Delvaux-Stehres, Luxembourg, SOC
Frunda, Romania, EPP/CD
Herkel, Estonia, EPP/CD
Kirilov, Bulgaria, SOC
Kocharyan, Armenia, LDR
Lindblad, Sweden, EPP/CD
Mihkelson, Estonia, EPP/CD
Mollazade, Azerbaijan, LDR
Patarkalishvili, Georgia, EPP/CD
Shakhtakhtinskaya, Azerbaijan, EDG
Tevdoradze, Georgia, EDG
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SOC |
Socialist Group |