“Media Advocate” Initiative expands the scope of its monitoring by examining the RA state institutions and press services.
From 1 to 7 January, 2020, the “Media Advocate” Initiative followed online media reports on the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the Republic of Armenia. 35 leading Armenian news agencies have been monitored.
In the specified period, 61 articles were declared, 9 of which were negative and 52 were neutral.
During the specified monitoring period no positive articles were declared on the ESCS Ministry. When asked if the ministry had offered anything in regards of presenting Vahan Teryan’s entire literary heritage, Teryan’s great-grandchild, literary critic Gevorg-Emin Teryan, told reporters the following. “Truth to be told, I don’t understand the policy of the ministry. Honestly, I’m thinking about some things, but I probably have to do it myself and I don’t think of writing a letter to anyone.”
A problem occurred between AntiFake.am and the ministry. AntiFake announced that the total bonuses of the ministry amounted to 1,774,225,600 drams. The ESCS denied the news, saying it was the overall salary fund. According to AntiFake, after the denial, the ministry neither reported them about inaccuracies nor demanded to post a denying publication. Instead, it sent a press release to news agencies containing inadequate and unrealistic remarks on Antifake and posted it on the ministry’s Facebook page. AntiFake.am did not exclude the probability of inaccuracies in the working process and urged the ministry to refrain from spreading subjective qualifications and assessments that undermine AntiFake.am’s authority and business reputation.
Gagik Hambaryan, referring to the internal political situation, said that Nikol Pashinyan is imitating Serzh Sargsyan, that is, like the former president, Nikol Pashinyan defends state officials who are not accepted by the public, saying that he is the one who solves this or that issue and not the ministry as such. As examples of such state officials he mentions the ESCS Minister Arayik Harutyunyan and Ararat province governor (marzpet) Garik Sargsyan.
