Aragil

YEREVAN (Azg daily), 01/28/99 — Article 24 of the Law about Telecommunications contradicts to the articles 5 and 8 of the Constitution of Armenia, Chairman of the Constitutional Court Gagik Haroutiunian announced yesterday. The Constitutional Court worked from early morning to 5pm., and announced the verdict at 5:23pm.The Minister of Telecommunications Artak Vardanian, Minister of Justice David Haroutiunian and Minister of Structural Reforms Vahram Avanesian were in good joking mood at the beginning, but then Vardanian and Avanesian left the hall, fearing the journalists. Haroutiunian stayed to the end, respecting decision of Constitutional Court and, at the same time, insisting on his position that ArmenTel monopoly was legal.
Evaluating Constitutional Court’s verdict, President Robert Kocharian said “we could not have made a better gift to OTE”, because he believes, the Greek side, which owns 90 percent of ArmenTel stock, will now request serious financial compensation from us. “It is because of Article 24, that OTE obliged to implement most serious investment program”, said Kocharian and added that, after this decision, there will be serious mistrust to Armenia and no serious company will implement investment projects.
Commenting on this statement, the opposition said that an attempt is being made to apply pressure on the Constitutional Court yet the experience of Wednesday has shown that the Court, which was always loyal to the authorities since its creation, now has shown a major shift from this policy.