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.

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