Parliament of Armenia fails to vote on mass media laws

In the morning on July 3, at its extraordinary session, the National Assembly of Armenia failed to vote on the bill of amendments to the current laws "On Television and Radio" and "On State Duties." Out of 91 registered deputies, only 65 took part in voting, of them 63 deputies voted for the final adoption of the bills, two deputies refrained, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

According to the Regulations on the National Assembly, a bill shall be considered approved if voted for by 66 deputies. The next voting on the bills will take place in the autumn, after the government will have again presented the amendment bills for consideration of the Parliament.

We note here that consideration by the Parliament of these bills has caused negative reaction in the Armenian society. Yesterday, on July 2, a march-meeting to the building of the National Assembly was held in protest against the bills presented to the Parliament.

Representatives of the delegation of the "Ago Group" for monitoring of the Committee of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Council of Europe have also expressed their concern of the new initiative of the government in the sphere of mass media.