EUROPEAN APPROACHES TO FORMATION OF INFORMATION SOCIETY
SHOULD BE USED IN ARMENIA, CHUGASZIAN SAYS
24-05-2008 14:00:00 | Armenia | Economy
YEREVAN, MAY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The 2008 state budget
envisages allocations for the IT sector for the first time.
However, unlike the previous years when the then prime minister
(NT: the late Andranik Margarian) allocated funds for
organization of e-content creation contests, no such contest
will be held this year, the director of E-Content Association of
Armenia (ECA) and chairman of IT Foundation Garegin Chugaszian
said at the May 23 press conference.
He reminded that over 300 works were usually submitted at
the annual contests, with the best works being presented at
international competitions and winning awards. "This year the
state did not provide any money in order to assist with
e-content creation. How can it be explained?" G. Chugaszian
asked.
He added that the problems of Armenian e-content
development were not included in the draft concept of
development of Armenia's IT sector, which has already been
submitted to the government. "There are beatiful programs on
building a paradise in Armenia by 2018 but today those engaged
in creation of an English-Armenian translation system have not
received any support - unlike the previous years when the budget
lacked resources but, being aware of the problem's importance,
the former prime minister used to allocate sums," he said.
According to him, the situation "shows that some one-sided
interests have begun to be preferred in Armenia, and a new
strategy and a new governance system are being put forward,
which will create a new oligarchy in the next ten years and a
group of people will get the IT sector too into their hands".
In response to NT correspondent's question about whether
"there is a factor of geopolitics" in the neglect of these
problems of importance to the information society, G. Chugaszian
said that the idea of "information society" is European. "We are
part of Europe so we should use European approaches in Armenia".
It is noteworthy that the European approaches to
information society are based on the principles of preservation
of national identity and cultural diversity.