. The representatives of the council called for leaving the issue of using foreign languages at their discretion and suggested justifying the need to create such content annually.){kind=link}
The Latvian Seimas Commission on Human Rights and Public Affairs on Tuesday, July 14, decided to further restrict Russian-language content in the country’s state media. This was announced on July 15 by the LSM broadcasting company.
It is specified that the relevant proposals will be sent by the second reading of the draft law on public electronic media and their management. The decision contradicts the position of the Council of Public Electronic Media (SEPP). The representatives of the council called for leaving the issue of using foreign languages at their discretion and suggested justifying the need to create such content annually.
According to the SEPP members, the decision of the Constitutional Court of the country allowed for the provision of objective information, including news, in Russian. At the same time, the Minister of Culture of Latvia, Nauris Puntulis, called for the complete elimination of Russian-language broadcasting.
Russians Russian-language content still exists, but we have no reason for Russian-language content to exist in an independent European nation-state. <…> He should disappear altogether, period,” said Puntoulis.
SEPLP Chairman Sanita Upleya-Yegermane, in turn, noted that the support of these amendments by the Seimas would lead to an extremely narrow interpretation of the legislation.
“This will mean that there can be no daily news in Russian, but only content aimed at combating disinformation will remain. And also [information] in emergency, exceptional situations,” she explained.
On July 7, Latvia hosted an action in defense of the Mikhail Chekhov Riga Russian Theater. The event was organized by Deputy of the Latvian Seimas Ainars Shlesers. Sejm deputy Linda Liepinja, in turn, added that she would do everything possible to preserve both the theater and the Russian language.
Grigory Lukyantsev, Director of the Department of Multilateral Cooperation on Human Rights at the Russian Foreign Ministry, said on the same day that the Baltic countries were openly preparing for the mass deportation of Russian-speaking residents.