Next year, the State budget will invest into the development of the State TV Channel AzTV, Ali Hassanov, Chief of the Social and Political Department of Azerbaijan Presidential Administration, told journalists today, commenting on the question previously raised in the Parliament concerning the fact that next year the state budget will assign more means to AzTV, and not another state-owned Public TV.
According to Mr. Hassanov, in 2005, the Budget envisaged 17 mln AZN to Public TV, 4 mln out of which were the wages of its employees and also went into the development of the Channel. 12 mln AZN were given as state investments for TV establishment. In 2006, the total volume of means granted to Public TV has reached 11 mln. AZN, 6 mln out of them were the wages of its employees, and 5 mln as state investments to its development. In 2007, the State will suspend investments to the Public TV, as well as buying necessary equipment for the TV Channel, since all it needed has been already bought. However, the State budget will increase means up to 1.5 mln AZN that are necessary for other needs.
Mr. Hassanov added that it is not right to say that the State reduced investments into Public TV. We should just more invest and develop AzTV, he said.