July 1, 2010 - 17:47 AMT
Delegation of Armenian Public Television is prevented from arriving in Baku

A delegation of the Armenian Public Television was not allowed to take the plane of Moscow-Baku flight. Meanwhile, the delegation was expected to participate in the 64th General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union due July 1-2 in Baku.

An Azerbaijani employee of Sheremetyevo airport took the boarding passes of the Armenian citizens and torn them up. Later, the Armenian delegation, consisting of Editor-in-Chief of Ararat TV Gnel Nalbandyan and Acting Executive Director of the Armenian Public Television Marat Ordyan, was told that there are not free seats in the plane, Advisor to the Executive Director of the Armenian Public TV on Special Projects Diana Mnatsakanyan told PanARMENIAN.Net.

According to Mnatsakanyan, problems with the Armenian delegation’s participation in the event had started before the scandalous incident in Sheremetyevo.

“We have been deprived of the opportunity to hear EBU reports, as well as participate in the elections of the Union’s administrative board. We consider the actions of Azerbaijani members of the EBU to be indulgence towards anti-Armenian moods,” said Mnatsakanyan, adding that the Armenian side is going to demand from the European Broadcasting Union that it freeze Azerbaijan’s membership.

The European Broadcasting Union is the largest association of national broadcasters in the world. It consists of 75 member companies from 57 countries of Europe, North Africa and Near East. The Armenian Public Television has been the EBU member since 2005, while Azerbaijan has been represented in the Union by Ictimai TV company since 2007.