Media Regulator Urges Saeima To Terminate Operations Of Russian-Language Radio Stations In Latvia

(MENAFN- UkrinForm) According to Delfi, NEPLP Chair Ivars Abolins stated that Latvia should not finance the activities of private Russian-language radio stations.

He argued that Latvia is effectively funding such stations because they use state-owned frequencies free of charge, which are public property and the most valuable part of their business.

Abolins also recalled that more than a month has passed since NEPLP submitted a proposal to the Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee of the Saeima to gradually phase out Russian-language radio stations over an eight-year period. He criticized the head of the committee, Leila Rasima, for not including the issue on the agenda.

Read also: Speaker of Lithuania's Seimas: It's time to shift from air policing to air defense

The head of the regulator urged lawmakers to "approach this issue from a state-minded position" and support the ban by stopping the use of public resources to fund Russian-language radio broadcasting.

"Latvia has transitioned to state-funded education exclusively in the Latvian language, and there are no arguments for valuable state resources to be spent on supporting a Russian-language information space in the commercial radio environment," Abolins emphasized.

As Ukrinform previously reported, television channels in Kyrgyzstan must increase the share of Kyrgyz-language broadcasting to 60%, as required by law.

Photo: Kaspars Upmanis on Unsplash

MENAFN17022026000193011044ID1110749604