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ARMNEWS TV DIDN'T AIR MY INTERVIEW BECAUSE I CRITICIZED ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES, SAYS ECONOMIST
epress.am
02.24.2012
A few days ago, ArmNews TV had invited economist Movses Aristakesyan
for a televised interview; however, some time after the interview was
conducted, the TV station called Aristakesyan and informed him that
the interview won't be aired. This news was conveyed to Epress.am
on Thursday by Aristakesyan, who also happens to be a member of the
local opposition bloc the Armenian National Congress.
The economist also mentioned that prior to the start of the interview,
he was asked not to criticize state authorities. According to
Aristakesyan, that's censorship, and "they're simply not used to
broadcasting critical news."
"First, they changed the issues on which I was going to speak, though
it wasn't difficult for me to prepare for the new questions," he said.
The economist also described how during the interview he was told
the authorities are working on decreasing the shadow economy, he said:
"The proposed budget that meets international standards might seem
improbable to naysayers who say that the state budget doesn't have
the means. We can say to the naysayers that our economy in its
current state has the means. It's enough to look at the wealth
of our billionaires and millionaires, the many elite residential
buildings constructed in the country, the castles and the mansions,
the high-class vehicles circling the country, the lifestyle of the
newly rich and their family members - drawing conclusions will be
quite easy. We just have to eliminate the causes of corruption."
Aristakesyan pointed out that he had encountered a similar issue
before. In another interview to ArmNews that he gave two months ago,
he criticized the policy adopted by the country's prime minister. This
interview, which, according to Aristakesyan, was to have been aired
eight times, was broadcast only twice.
"Most likely at first they weren't attentive, that I had criticized
[a state official], but then seeing it, they took it off air," he said.
epress.am
02.24.2012
A few days ago, ArmNews TV had invited economist Movses Aristakesyan
for a televised interview; however, some time after the interview was
conducted, the TV station called Aristakesyan and informed him that
the interview won't be aired. This news was conveyed to Epress.am
on Thursday by Aristakesyan, who also happens to be a member of the
local opposition bloc the Armenian National Congress.
The economist also mentioned that prior to the start of the interview,
he was asked not to criticize state authorities. According to
Aristakesyan, that's censorship, and "they're simply not used to
broadcasting critical news."
"First, they changed the issues on which I was going to speak, though
it wasn't difficult for me to prepare for the new questions," he said.
The economist also described how during the interview he was told
the authorities are working on decreasing the shadow economy, he said:
"The proposed budget that meets international standards might seem
improbable to naysayers who say that the state budget doesn't have
the means. We can say to the naysayers that our economy in its
current state has the means. It's enough to look at the wealth
of our billionaires and millionaires, the many elite residential
buildings constructed in the country, the castles and the mansions,
the high-class vehicles circling the country, the lifestyle of the
newly rich and their family members - drawing conclusions will be
quite easy. We just have to eliminate the causes of corruption."
Aristakesyan pointed out that he had encountered a similar issue
before. In another interview to ArmNews that he gave two months ago,
he criticized the policy adopted by the country's prime minister. This
interview, which, according to Aristakesyan, was to have been aired
eight times, was broadcast only twice.
"Most likely at first they weren't attentive, that I had criticized
[a state official], but then seeing it, they took it off air," he said.