The National Council for Electronic Media (NEPLP) banned the broadcast of 80 Russian television channels in Latvia, which still remained available to Latvian viewers, writes Delfi.
As Ivar Aboolins explained to Leta agency LETA, the decision was made, based on a new legislative norm. It provides that in Latvia, programs registered in a country that threatens the independence and territorial integrity of another country cannot work in Latvia.
This decision comes into force on June 9 and will act until Russia stops the war and returns the Crimea.
Such channels as “Illusion+”, “Kino24”, “World TV”, “Hunting and Fishing”, “Pepper”, Russian Illusion “and others were banned.
The decision to block Russian channels – including entertainment – NPLP in early March. The company Global Media, which is engaged in the retrandation of these television channels in Latvia, filed a lawsuit with a request to suspend this decision. On April 29, the court decided to temporarily return to the Latvian broadcast Russian television channels “Kamedi”, TNT4 International, Friday, KHL TV Channel and TNT Music. The court explained its decision by the fact that NPLP could not argue how the entertainment channels threaten the state security of Latvia.
NEPLP appealed this decision in the upper court. On May 26, the Sejm in final reading adopted amendments to the law on electronic media, which give the National Council on Electronic Media the right to limit foreign programs if they are made in countries that threaten the sovereignty of other countries.