Hot News 2004

Dushanbe

October 25, 2004

STATEMENT Of the National Association of Independent Mass Media of Tajikistan (NANSMIT)

National Association of Independent Mass Media of Tajikistan expresses its concern about a long delay in resolving issues related to broadcast licensing.

By virtue of the law “On amendments to the law “On TV and radio broadcasting”, legal entities shall operate under the broadcast license. According to article 12 of the law, the Tajik Government has a right to determine procedure for issuing, renewing, suspending and revoking a broadcast license.

In view of the recently adopted law “On Licensing”, the Government considers a new regulation granting a broadcast license. NANSMIT always supported the idea of creating interdepartmental or independent body to administer licensing related issue. We hoped the Government would involve experts in developing and adopting the new Regulation, in order to comply with common interests of Tajik mass media, regardless of type of property. However it did not so far. Meantime, the provision # 91 establishing a procedure for licensing of 25.05.2001, which was approved by the Committee on TV and radio broadcasting, is no longer valid. A several month- delay in solving licensing problems resulted in the suspension of TV and radio companies.

The society needs new alternative information sources, especially before the parliamentary elections. NANSMIT calls upon the Government of the Tajik Republic to speed up development and adoption the new regulation, which will authorize a body and licensing procedure. In its turn, we are ready to collaborate with the Government to develop the regulation to conform to international standards.

Nuriddin Kashiboyev, NANSMIT chairman

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