Latvian Parliament Adopts Bill to Scale Down Russian Cable TV Broadcasting Dramatically

RIGA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th June, 2020) Latvia's parliament, the Saeima, has adopted in the third reading a bill that would significantly reduce the broadcasting of cable Russian-language television channels despite their popularity with the local population, a Sputnik correspondent reported on Thursday.

The legislation was initiated by President Egils Levits in a bid to curb what he considers Russia's rhetoric in the country. In particular, the bill aims to make 80 percent of content broadcast on cable channels be in one of the EU official languages.

"Channels which feature the Kremlin's narrative should not be available in the packages of cable broadcasters and other tv providers," lawmaker Artuss Kaimins, who chairs the Saeima committee on Human Rights and Public Affairs, said.

Roughly 40 percent of Latvia's 2 million population are Russian speakers, but Latvian is the only official language in the country. According to the Kantar TNS Latvia market research company, Baltic Channel One, which broadcast part of Russia's Channel One content in the Baltic countries, has for years been among top five most viewed TV channels in Latvia.