The Chairman of NEPLP Ivars Āboliņš told LETA that the decision was made in connection with violations that directly endanger national security. The decision took effect immediately. Retransmission of the channel is prohibited in Latvia for three years.
Āboliņš said that NEPLP continues to work and all resources are concentrated to protect Latvia’s information environment. It is possible that on Monday, March 28, NEPLP made other decisions related to the strengthening of the information environment.
It is reported that in a few days Latvia has been denied access to a number of Russian propaganda channels, as well as to programs that are directly or indirectly related to the sanctions imposed by the European Union.
In connection with the events in Ukraine, the television platform “Go3”, the satellite television “Home3” and the telecommunications company SIA “Baltcom” have suspended the retransmission of Russian channels.
Kārlis Pozņakovs, a representative of TV3 Group, told LETA that not only the channels PBK Lietuva and PBK Estonia had been suspended, for which NEPLP revoked the retransmission licenses, but also all other channels produced in Russia – Mir, CTC, ” Ohota & Rybalka “,” RTVi “and” TVCi “.
According to Poznakov, the companies will assess whether cooperation with these channels does not violate the rules on financial sanctions against certain Russian citizens, companies and organizations.
The representative of TV3 Group noted that the international news channels “Euronews”, “BBC World News” and “Current Time” will be connected to every subscriber of both operators in all Baltic countries.
In addition to the NEPLP banned channels Belarus 24, Rossija RTR, Rossija 24, TVCi, PBK Estonia, PBK Lietuva has also suspended the Russian-registered channel BelRos, Mir, Mir 24 “,” Kosmicheskij “and” Kto yest ‘kto “retransmission, said the company’s spokeswoman Ekaterina Ivanova.
In order to provide customers with the widest range of news coverage of current events in Ukraine and around the world, Baltcom is offering a channel called Dozhj. Other international news channels are also available to the company’s customers.
NEPLP had previously decided to suspend the program “Belarus 24” in Latvia, as well as to revoke the retransmission licenses for the channels “PBK Estonia” and “PBK Lithuania”.
The programs “PBK Estonia” and “PBK Lithuania” have been suspended because during the inspection of Oleg Solodov, co-owner of the Baltic Media Alliance, “NEPLP has determined that such a decision must be made”. Āboliņš explained that he had also received information from the responsible services, the nature of which he could not disclose.
The permission for these channels will be revoked from March 2, and, as Āboliņš explained, the channels will no longer be visible because they will expire.
According to Kantar, PBK Estonia is the third most watched TV channel in Latvia after two Latvian channels. Its viewing time share was 5.8% in January this year. PBK Lietuva, on the other hand, is the second most watched Russian-language channel in Latvia, with a watch share of 2.7% last month.
Belarus 24, on the other hand, has been suspended because it is under the effective control of Ivan Eismont, a Belarusian citizen subject to EU sanctions. The decision comes into force today, which means that in the next few hours this channel must disappear from the Latvian information environment.
Tet has also decided to stop retransmitting television channels on all of its television platforms whose owners or officials are affiliated with the Russian government, are subject to international sanctions or whose status is currently not fully obtainable, Tet told LETA.
The company justifies its decision by referring to “the difficult time for the people of Ukraine and European society as a whole when Russia is developing unimaginable aggression against Ukraine”.
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