YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN. "The present-day press of Armenia is a direct result of the independence, but it is more difficult to work now," the chairwoman of the National Press Club Narine Mkrtchain stated during a discussion at the club on September 7. According to her, the recent years' experience shows that the situation in the country becomes strained before each election campaign, as a result of which pressure on reporters grows as well. She noted the the current situation requires making respective conclusions and joint efforts of reporters. Hovhannes Galajian, editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Iravunk" ("Law"), expressed an opinion that the fact that problems may be solved in Armenia by applying "criminal pressure" has caused the current situation. In his words, such pressure should be counteracted by steadfastness of the journalistic corps. According to Tigran Harutyunian, director of the Noyan Tapan News Agency, instances of violence against resporters are a result of the lack of solidarity among them and the split in the journalistic field. "The field of journalism is now more split than ever. Many mass media heads make their reporters present events in an incomplete, even distorted form by violating the journalistic ethics and not to address certain subjects or persons, which weakens the journalistic field and prevents the people from implementing control over the authorities based on impartiality of the mass media," he said. In his words, as a result of the split in the journalistic field, violence against reporters is becoming a usual phenomenon not receiving a counterblow. T. Harutyunian sees the way out of the situation in the unity and solidarity of reporters. He said that reporters should put their professional interests above political and material ones, which would make the general atmosphere in Armenia healthier.

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