Republicans Want to Allow Alcohol Advertising in Interest of Businessmen: MP

The bill to permit alcohol and cigarette advertising in the media is simply lobbying by some in the business community, which some MPs are at the forefront of, said secretary of the Armenian National Congress (HAK) faction Aram Manukyan (pictured) during discussion of the bill making amendments to the RA Law on Advertising in Armenia's National Assembly today.

He said that even discussing the issue is embarrassing, since the "entire civilized world" moves to ban the advertising of alcohol and cigarettes, while the opposite is being proposed in Armenia. 

According to Manukyan, HAK, the Heritage Party, and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) factions voted against the bill in the committee meeting. 

Also speaking out against the bill was Prosperous Armenia Party MP Tigran Urikhanyan. He admitted that the media needs to be financially independent (sustainable), which can be achieved by securing advertising; however, it shouldn't be so that "at the heart of the bill are not the rights of media but of businessmen."

Recall, the bill proposed by Republican Party of Armenia MPs Arman Sahakyan, Samvel Farmanyan, Naira Karapetyan, Tajat Vardapetyan, and Levon Martirosyan and independent (no party affiliation) MP Edmon Marukyan proposes allowing advertising of locally produced brandy.