Armenia's president calls on journalists to be 'unbiased and balanced'

Armenia's President Serzh Sargsyan has called on Armenian media representatives to be "unbiased and balanced" in their professional activities.

Addressing the representative of Armenian media outlets at a reception held at the Presidential Office today, Sargsyan said that the authorities do not intend to hide the shortcomings existing in the government agencies or in the society.

He also said that the state will further need the support of Armenian journalists.

"We need your honest and unbiased work so that the Armenian society, the entire administration, various agencies and figures will be able to see their real face in the mirror of reporting," said he.

"It is very important for that mirror not to be false and the reflected picture distorted," said he, expressing confidence that the common sense of Armenian media representatives will enable them to find solutions to the issue.

Sargsyan further said that some of the media outlets managed to decently accomplish their mission, without becoming tools for solving what he called "certain issues."

"I wish that next year too our journalists will not be required to have much courage to raise publicly important issues. I consider it as a criterion of maturity not only for you - as experts - but also for the entire society."

Sargsyan also said that the authorities and the media should continue to remain the "advocates of political tolerance, mutual respect, dialogue and cooperation," for various, even mutually-excluding political forces.

"Fraud, provocation, offense and labeling hinder the dialogue … For that reason, once again I am calling on you to be unbiased and balanced while doing your professional duties," said he.

"In this sense, your objectivity and efficiency are valuable not only for the present, but for the future too."