RFE/RL Bill Rejected

EurasiaNet has another article on the failure to pass controversial legislation which would have limited broadcasts by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and certainly taken them off Public Radio. In the article by Armenia Now’s Marianna Grigorian, it would appear that everyone is expecting another attempt to restrict RFE/RL’s broadcasts in the country sometime in the autumn when the country will start to prepare for the 2008 presidential election.

Local observers believe opposition from the international community led to the failure of a controversial bill that could have restricted Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s broadcasts in Armenia. Despite the vote outcome, however, they argue that the legislation’s implications for freedom of media still linger on.

[…]

The Armenian service of the US-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, a past target for criticism by senior government officials, is currently the only broadcaster to make use of this service. The ruling Republican Party of Armenia and government, however, have denied that the amendments were aimed at RFE/RL.

Opposition members say that they expect fresh amendments in the fall.

[…]

Opponents of the legislation say that the international community’s strong condemnation of the amendments discouraged pro-government lawmakers from showing up in sufficient numbers to pass the proposed bills. Such criticism jarred with international observers’ assessment of Armenia’s May 12 parliamentary elections as the first to mostly meet democratic standards.

[…]

“The authorities did not expect international structures to give such strong-worded assessments,” argued Artur Sakunts, chairman of the Helsinki Assembly’s Vanadzor office in northern Armenia. “There wasn’t such pressure even after the elections.”

In response, Parliamentary Speaker Tigran Torosian, who had backed the amendments, stated that ” documents” and “an expert study” were necessary before proceeding, according to statements posted on portal panorama.am. The Ago Group’s reaction, he said, “responds naturally to the improper noise raised in Armenia.”

Helsinki Assembly’s Sakunts and other activists, however, say that further wrangles could still be in the works. With a presidential vote next year, commented Sakunts, “I am sure that the story is not over yet.”

The full article is here.

Armenians protest in Yerevan on July 2 against a parliamentary bill that could have made the broadcast of RFE/RL shows within the country expensive. The bill was dropped the next day due to a lack of quorum and a government opposition boycott. (Onnik Krikorian for EurasiaNet)