Monitoring Starts

October 24, 2005

On November 1-25 the Yerevan press club will realize an investigation of the
agitation of the draft Constitution via Mass Media which will give them the
possibility to find out the level of public awareness of the Constitutional
amendments and the expected results, as well as the efficiency of agitations
forms.

The Yerevan Press club expects the support of the Mass Media in this work and is
open for cooperation and offers.


www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15418

Mass-Media Condition in Armenia Getting Worse

21 October 2005

“Reporters without borders” organization published the Worldwide Press Freedom
Index 2005 today, according to which Armenia takes 102 position of 167 possible.


This year Armenia fell 19 points behind as compared with the last year, when RA
held the 83 position. This year’s list Armenia is followed by such countries as
Gabon and Guinea.


www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15409

Culture or “Café Culture”?: Construction of Billiards Bar Would Damage
NCOA Performances, Maestro Says

21 October 2005

Members of the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia, other classical musicians,
advocates of culture, and residents of the neighborhood near the Komitas Chamber
Music Hall are angry about the construction of yet another café in Yerevan’s
city center and concerned with the general disregard it represents towards the
arts in Armenia.

If their fears are realized, as soon as this winter the sound of one of
Armenia’s most beloved ambassadors of culture, the NCOA, might have to fight for
the attention of concert audiences over the noise of a billiards hall, or,
worse, be muffled by the invasion of recorded Euro-pop music.


www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15411

Controversial Demolitions Continue Amid Protests from Local Residents

21 October 2005

A street in downtown Yerevan looked like a battleground again this morning as a
demolition squad supported by regular and special police units went on pulling
down people’s homes to clear the way for a rising elite residential estate.

At least 30 ‘red berets’ and 15 police officers loudly coordinating their
actions with the ‘Center’ via walky-talkies encircled the house in 15 Buzand
Street where two women refusing to leave the place stood in the way of the
demolishers.


www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15414