The National Electronic Media Council of Latvia (NEPLP) has appealed to the Saeima to shut down all private radio stations broadcasting in Russian.
Source: Gazeta.UA
The NEPLP notes that state radio frequencies, provided to broadcasters free of charge, effectively support the corresponding media space at the expense of public resources. Council Chairman Ivars Abolins emphasized that free use of radio frequencies is equivalent to funding such media activities and contradicts national interests.
Over a month ago, the NEPLP submitted a proposal for the gradual cessation of Russian-language commercial radio stations over eight years, but the initiative has not yet been considered by the parliamentary Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee.
The regulator reminded that Latvia has already fully transitioned education to the state language, so maintaining Russian in the commercial radio broadcast appears illogical and contradicts state policy. Abolins urged lawmakers to support the ban from the perspective of national interests.