ACCORDING TO YPC CHAIRMAN, PRESS DISSEMINATION FUNCTION
SHOULD NOT BE LICENSED
09-06-2006 16:00:00 | Armenia | Social
YEREVAN, JUNE 9, NOYAN TAPAN. The function of press
dissemination should not be licensed, it contradicts the
Convention on Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental
Freedoms. Chairman of the Yerevan Press Club (YPC) Boris
Navasardian expressed this opinion during a meeting with
reporters on June 8. According to him, the RA Law on Postal
Communication signed by the Armenian President last year has
prepared some obstacles for private organizations engaged in
subscription and dissemination of printed publications. Under
the law, the companies implementing subscription and delivery of
periodicals should be licensed by paying 5 mln drams (about 11.9
thousand USD).
B. Navasardian said that since last year, the private
companies engaged in the dissemination of press and in
journalistic social activities have demanded that some
provisions of the indicated law be cancelled, as these
provisions aim to make the subscription and delivery of
periodicals a monopoly and prevent the free dissemination of
information. As a result of the law's application, Haypost and
Haymamul will gain a monopoly in the sector.
He informed reporters that on June 9 the RA National
Assembly Standing Committee of Financial, Credit, Budget and
Economic Issues will discuss the legislative initiative of
deputies Gurgen Arsenian and Grigor Ghonjeyan, which proposes
making amendments to the Law on Postal Communication, the Law on
State Duty and the Law on Licensing. According to B. Navasardin,
the adoption of these amendments would remove the above
mentioned concerns.