Sergo Yeritsyan: Because of the legislative gap the State Language Inspection fails to register administrative violations
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YEREVAN, JULY 2, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian law “About Advertising” establishes that the language of advertisements in our republic is Armenian. The same article also says that this provision is not spread on the newspapers published in foreign languages, special publications, brands and marks. This legislative gap is being used by the organizations having foreign language names, noting that foreign language lists are their brands. Armenpress news agency spoke about this legislative gap with acting head of the State Language Inspection, former education and science minister Sergo Yeritsyan.
- Mr. Yeritsyan, how will you explain the circumstance that only during this year companies revealed this legislative shortcoming?
- Companies understood this shortcoming very well. Formerly, they did not try to pick fruits from this circumstance. If during the past year we evoked 13 sues and won 7 of them, this year we fail because of this legislative gap. The State Language Inspection has developed a bill on making amendments in the law and presented to the Armenian government. We hope it will be discussed at the autumn session of the NA and will be adopted. There we registered that it is not necessary that a brand be translated but it must be transcribed.
- Because of this flaw you fail to reach certain result, haven’t you tried to undertake any other measures?
- The State Language Inspection has recently conducted monitoring in Yerevan during which its officials found numerous foreign language posters, but again because of the law gap administrative violations have not been registered. Only on Mashtots Ave. 70 foreign language posters have been found. During this period explanatory works helped a lot, and the interesting thing is that a notable number of organizations agreed to change. In spite of it, I must note that this gap may be solved only in legislative way. In Nagorno Karabakh too this issue exists and it was solved through transcription.
- Is the shortcoming of the law pointed out only in case of ad posters?
- No, there is also an issue connected with the names of taxis and here the situation is worse. A tendency of using foreign names is notable here but again because of the legislative gap we are not able to solve this issue. By the way, it is more convenient to register the name of a company as a brand, than being fined. But with the decision of the Armenian government this year we do not have right to check companies having less than 70 million AMD circulation. This decision was adopted for fighting against economic crisis. If this foreign language posters were placed temporarily, were placed for carrying out some actions, it would have been clear but when such foreignism is being displayed in the heart of Yerevan it is painful.
- You mentioned the issue connected with taxis, and besides it how is the situation in the other spheres?
- The issue relates only to taxis, in other spheres we do not have issues. We do not have issues connected with business correspondences, translations, register book notes, etc. Our Achilleus heel is the posters in public places.
- How is the situation in provinces?
- In provinces the situation is better. Yerevan foreignism is not notable there. The main violations in the provinces are revealed in organizations which are branches of some Yerevan companies.