A1+ has won
A1+ TV Company was closed down eight years ago. All these years the company has searched different methods to provide its viewers with information -newspaper, Internet site, blog, youtube and mobile broadcasting. Why was A1+ closed down? President of A1+ TV Company Mesrop Movsesyan comments on A1+'s fate.
Mr. Movsesyan, why was A1+ closed down?
A1+ was closed down as it "got in the way" of Robert Kocahrian. Realizing that power could be seized and maintained in Armenia if one took control of the press, and being guided by the motto "you cooperate with press and it works for you" Kocharian decided to "square accounts with" A1+ as the company was a cumber on his way. With the example of A1+ he warned others against the pending menace if they dared to disobey him, take an independent posture and become "lions in the path."
Do you mean to say that with the closure of A1+ Company violence started against journalists?
Not only violence. More than 80 percent of mass media bowed to the impostor president. Kocahrian was deeply impressed by that gesture. Then Kocahrian started to extol himself. Being a "nobody" he got everything in a short time and chose it as a slogan for him which greatly differed from a similar slogan of the October Revolution: "He who was nobody once, is a big shot now." The second slogan was advanced during the revolution while the first one was forced by a person.
Do you want to say that if A1+ remained in the air, Robert Kocharian would not be the person he is today?
I am convinced that if A1+ were on the air Robert Kocahrian would not be reelected in 2003 and we would not witness the events of April 12, 2004. I don't mean that A1+ would protect the country with tanks, the company would do it with its demeanour and work and would make Robert Kocahrian and his regime meet international and local laws at the same time pointing out the infringements. Eventually, it would sober up Kocharian and make him give up the policy of deception. But since there was no obstacle on Kocharian's way and he was an ambitious and egoist man he was reelected bringing harm for the whole nation.
Kocahrian was a real mischief: he turned Armenia into a god-for-saken place, cut it off the surrounding world and made people obey his provincial law by force and tanks and started making fortune. In fact, his wealth is inestimable. But as we see he is not sufficed with it and wants to return to power.
- Do you really think he has chances to return?
- I exclude his return as Kocharian is already well-known both in Armenia and beyond its boundaries. His return is only possible by force, tanks, which I again exclude as when Kocharian ordered to open fire at peaceful demonstrators on March 1 he signed his obituary. He realizes it better than I do though he turns a blind eye to reality.
- Do you mean to say that A1+ and Robert Kocahrian became enemies?
- A1+ has no enemies. We only have relatives and friends. Kocharian is also our relative. Do not be surprised at my words as Kocharian increased A1+'s reputation with his decision to close down the company. A1+ was then a local TV company with great potential and honest aspirations. During those hard years A1+ put aside its personal interests and paved a way for young TV companies in an attempt to show them the real image of a TV company. The mentality surely lingered A1+'s further prosperity.
Kocharian boosted A1+'s reputation bringing an international fame to the company though later he regretted which speaks of his ignorance. Coarseness and power don't always prove efficient.
Today when I walk in the streets I think the film "Planet of the Apes" was shot in Yerevan. It seems that Armenia is governed by these degraded apes, chimpanzees and gorillas govern who find it their mission to embezzle public property and fill their pockets. Kocahrian was and is an alien in Armenia. Armenia did not accept that alien. No matter how hard he tried to hide his face under a diving suit everyone was able to tear off his mask and knew his genuine personality.
- But he lived, worked and governed Armenia for ten years.
- Let me disagree with you. I would rather say he protected himself for ten years. If someone seeks protection for ten years it means he has no place in this country. When one resorts to force to protect himself it speaks of his weakness and wickedness. I have never seen Kocharian think about his people. He acted against Armenians starting from the first day of his office. The massacre of March 1 had long matured in Kocharian. He was clutching at straws.
- Free press was one of the greatest achievements of independent Armenia. Can we say that Armenia has free press and free television today?
- We have none of them as the tendency of money earning is deeply rooted in our society and has dazzled everyone. They have turned television and press into a business. I think that the country has appeared in this ooze as it lacks its own ideology which was to protect our press and television. The consequences will be felt in 10-20 years. Today's degradation and provincial mentality dictated to TV companies will deprive us of scholars, intellectuals, leaders.
- We can say that violation of the right to speech and violence against journalists and oppositionists started with the closure of A1+. Can we say that they will stop with A1+'s return?
- It is difficult to make predictions now. A1+ has a major mission today. It must shoulder the role of a standard-bearer as life has shown that the company remained loyal to its principles and will continue in the same way. We do not view broadcast as a business, we think that it must have an upbringing role and seed patriotism among people, serve the interests of a whole nation and not a person.
- As A1+ was considered to be Kocharian's enemy, everyone expected that during Serzh Sargsyan's tenure of office the company would resume broadcasting. Two years have passed but the company has no broadcasting license despite the numerous exhortations of the Council of Europe and European Court of Human Rights. What is you opinion of this?
-I think that Serzh Sargsyan is toady busy cleaning the dirt Kocharian left after him. I think another few years are required to fully cleanse the country but I don't know whether it will be done by Sargsyan or his successor. Serzh Sargsyan will be replaced; I don't even doubt this as he will get tired of cleaning one day.
I think Serzh Sargsyan has had no time to think of A1+. Now he stands a good chance to do it though I think no matter what decides, A1+ will win even if the company is not granted a broadcasting license.
You did not speak about the NCTR chairman Grigor Amalyan Amalyan today.
He was a poor stooge in the hands of Robert Kocharian. It is already the time we called things by their names. Amalyan could do nothing as decisions are made by the country's president.
