Sargsyan Needs Armenian Media’s Assistance to Address State Shortcomings

This past year, overall, was quite productive in terms of the work of Armenia’s mass media, said RA President Serzh Sargsyan, praising journalists’ work in 2010.

On the occasion of New Year and Christmas (celebrated by the Armenian Apostolic Church on Jan. 6, also known as Epiphany), Sargsyan had invited members of Armenia’s press to a reception today at the president’s residence.

In his remarks, the Armenian leader noted that the year was marked mainly by healthy political debate and quite often those actively participating in the debate included the mass media.

“Many news agencies were able to fulfill their mission honorably and not become a tool [i.e. not be manipulated] to solve some issue or another.

“I wish that also in the coming year, great courage won’t be required from our country’s journalists in order to raise socially important issues. I view this as not only your, as professionals, but also our entire society’s criterion of maturity,” he said.

According to Sargsyan, the authorities are not fully equipped to handle the existing shortcomings in the state system or in society, and the government continues to need the assistance of the media in this matter.

“We need your honest and impartial [unbiased] work, so that Armenian society, the entire state system, all the different structures and public figures can see their true image reflected in the mirror of the media. It’s very important that that mirror not be crooked and the image shown not be distorted.

“I am confident that your good judgement, your self-organization and your self-regulation will allow you to find solutions to this difficult problem. We must remain committed to political tolerance, mutual respect and dialogue between different, even mutually exclusive, political parties and, why not, advocate cooperation. Lies, threats, insults and name-calling hinder dialogue, even obstruct its very possibility,” he said.

The Armenian president expressed confidence that 2011 will be a year of cooperation, development and progress.