Latvia calls on the Saeima to decide to stop Russian-language radio broadcasting
Public and political pressure is growing in Latvia to stop Russian-language radio broadcasting in the country. The Saeima, the Latvian parliament, received a call from national NGOs and some MPs who believe that broadcasting programmes in Russian negatively affects security and the information space of the state. This was reported by the NGO “Detector Media“.
The authors of the appeal emphasise that existing radio programmes from the Russian side pose a risk of disinformation and may contribute to the spread of pro-Russian narratives among local communities. They call on the parliament to adopt a decision that would limit or completely stop the broadcast of such programmes in Latvia.
Solutions can cover the entire information spectrum
The initiators of the appeal emphasise that the issue concerns not only individual radio stations, but also the wider media space, as broadcasting in another language is often used as an instrument of external influence. In their opinion, restricting Russian-language radio broadcasting can strengthen national information security and reduce the risk of manipulation among the population.
Representatives of the initiative also emphasise the need to provide citizens with alternative sources, such as quality programmes in Latvian and other languages, to ensure a wide range of information that meets European journalism standards.
Reaction of politicians
The parliament has already begun discussions on possible steps, including analysing the legal aspects of such a decision and its compliance with Latvia's international obligations. Some MPs support the idea of tightening the language requirements for media resources, while others point out the need for a balanced approach in order not to violate the right of access to information for some people.
The issue of suspending Russian-language broadcasting is expected to be submitted to the parliament in the coming weeks.
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