Published since 07.2002
Published on March 28, 2008
FREEDOM FUNDRAISING: GALA MANAGED TO SECURE ITS FUTURE
- On Tuesday, March 25 an independent GALA TV based in Gyumri has successfully avoided immediate closure due to fundraising it organized to pay off imposed fines from state authorities. During a telethon launched last week GALA has succeeded in collecting nearly 27 million dram ($87,000) through the help of local and international donors. Throughout the day the live broadcasted program on the channel hosted political and cultural activists, journalists and private individuals who value the freedom of speech. The ceaseless flow of the Gyumri residents of various ages to the administrative section of the TV Company’s office continued until Tuesday. “When we decided to go for such an extreme step we even did not expect it will work,” says Karine Harutyunayn, GALA’s executive director. “But when, on the first day of fundraising we collected 8 million dram ($2,600) we realized that people are with us. To be honest we were expecting to gather 30 percent from local residents and the rest from abroad, but things turned to be opposite and the most of the sum we got from here.” GALA became a target of tax check-ups, fines, court trials and persecutions after it broadcast the speech delivered by the first president of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan in October 2007. As a result of the tax check-ups the TV Company was fined 25,665,100 drams ($85,550). After 4 court sessions in 3 months Judge Eduard Nahapetyan in the Gyumri residence of the RA Administrative Court made a verdict on partial satisfaction of the appeal, i.e. to confiscate 25,116,700 drams ($ 83,722) from GALA Television Company (which belongs to Chap Ltd.) to also partially satisfy the counter-claim and recognize the sum in 96,000 drams ($320) null and void. The verdict went into effect on the moment of publication and can be protested by cassation within a three month period. In case the decision is not fulfilled voluntarily, it will be forced to implementation by the bailiff service with the expenses covered by the debtor. To raise the fines, GALA launched what is believed to be Armenia’s first “telethon” in which private citizens are solicited to donate money to save the channel. The sums donated by the Gyumri residents ranged between 500 and 200,000 drams ($1.7 and $667). Citizens from Gyumri and other communities of the province joined the fund raising action in support of GALA. Residents, mass media outlets and their representatives from other provinces and capital Yerevan also joined the event by donating money. Vahan Tumasyan, coordinator of the Freedom of Speech and the GALA TV Company Support Headquarters says the priority was to protect GALA, “because obviously the authorities tried to press it financially, a common matter in Armenia. “ “The results exceeded our expectations,” says Tumasyan. “We are happy the first response came from Gyumri, and not from abroad or other provinces of the republic. This is an unprecedented success,” he said adding that the event took place while Armenia was under media blackout during the State of Emergency. Telman Hovhannisyan, 11 came to the GALA office from school in the company of his parents bringing 3,000 drams ($10). “I don’t want GALA be closed that is why I give this money I saved. I like the GALA programs very much, especially the Good Morning show,” says Telman. Armanush Ghazaryan, 68 brought her 1,000 drams ($3.5) for GALA along with the 4,000 drams ($13) gathered by her relatives and also wrote encouraging words to the company. “We don’t want to allow GALA’s closing. This is the only TV channel we get reliable information from. GALA needs us and we have to help it,” says the 68-year-old pensioner.
- Ani Hakobyan
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Today in Armenian history- 1799 Birth of Eone Kish (Kishian), Hungarian Armenian revolutionary figure.
- 1827 General Ivan Paskevich is appointed Governor of the Caucasus and Commander of the Caucasian Special Corps.
- 1830 Birth of organist, conductor, teacher, and public figure, Anton Mayilian in Tbilissi.
- 1907 Birth of surgeon Ivan Gevorgian. He invented pain-killers and pioneered new ways for blood transfusion.
- 1920 The Drama Institute presents its first play.
- 1923 Birth of two-time hero and pilot Nelson Stepanian. The group of pilots led by Nelson Stepanian sank more than 50 enemy ships and destroyed 13 airplanes in World War Two. Nelson Stepanian flew 240 sorties. He died in a dogfight in 1944.
- 1928 Birth of artist and sculptor Ara Harootoonian. His great architectural work is the Sardarapat complex.
- 1988 The Supreme Soviet of the USSR rejects Artsakh's demand to be reunited with Armenia.
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