The city council of Alaverdi has officially decided to limit journalists' right to obtain information. At a December 1, 2004 session presided over by mayor Saribek Ohanyan, the question of allowing journalists to film the meeting was put to a vote. The session was supposed to be open, but before the agenda was adopted, several councilmen proposed that television cameras be banned. Council member Aram Mkrtumyan, in particular, explained that he was unable to suppress his emotions during council meetings. As an eyewitness at many sessions, I would add that his emotions are particularly irrepressible when issues of personal concern, such as land allocations near his garage, or to his friends, are being discussed.

Eight out of fifteen council members were present at the meeting. Four voted against allowing the meeting to be filmed, i.e. against adopting decisions publicly, and two councilmen abstained. Two others, one of whom is a lawyer, voted to allow filming. Thus, TV cameras were prohibited.

We continued to follow the discussions at the council meeting without cameras. The Alaverdi mayor opened the meeting. The former building of Kindergarten # 6 (total area 957 square meters) was to be privatized at auction, with a starting price of 1.5 million drams (about $3,000). According to the mayor, a "guy" from abroad told them to "organize an auction and give the building to him." This man's identity was not revealed. The response to this news was mixed, and tempers flared. To avoid the embarrassment of this heated discussion's being witnessed, the council decided on a change of plans. The meeting continued behind closed doors, with no journalist or the mayor's office staff present. The city council, which is elected by the people, is passing decisions and awarding public property to their friends and relatives in secret, behind closed doors.

Article 9 of the Law on Local Self-Government of Armenia stipulates that the work of local government bodies must be open and transparent. Article 20 obliges local councils to periodically meet with the public and to provide information to the electorate about their actions. Only in "specific cases" may a session be conducted behind closed doors by a council vote. (Article 14). But it is extremely doubtful that these specific cases include questions related to local taxes, leases, land allocations, or the privatization of non-residential public buildings and plots of land at auctions and determination of starting prices.

After the session, we learned that the haggling among council members over the privatization of the public property was not over. In any event, the building that houses Kindergarten # 6 will not be put up for auction for the time being. This kindergarten, by the way, has not been closed down yet.

The wish to conduct city council meetings out of the public eye has some history behind it, as certain councilmen objected to Ankiun Plus 3 TV's coverage of an earlier meeting. The station intends to appeal against the council's decision in Alaverdi's court of first instance.