Egils Levits
Valsts prezidents: topošais Sabiedrisko elektronisko plašsaziņas līdzekļu un to pārvaldības likums ir būtisks demokrātijas kvalitātei
President of Latvia Egils Levits has submitted his comments on the draft Public Service Media Governance Law to the Saeima Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee which is currently preparing legislative initiative for the second reading in the parliament.

President of Latvia believes that the law covers issues of high importance to Latvian society as it aims to regulate several areas that will improve the quality of public service media and enable them to provide meaningful input in the functioning of democracy.

According to the President, ‘although social media are playing greater role, democratic discourse space is still based on traditional media. It is primarily the responsibility of public service media to ensure constructive discourse. That is why these media have to comply with high democratic accountability, professional, quality and ethical standards. That would also have positive general effect on Latvian media landscape’.

Egils Levits also commented on the draft law’s aims and core principles, compliance and monitoring of compliance with the public service remit, National Electronic Mass Media Council, boards and chief editors, establishing and functions of Media Ombudsman, and public service media funding model.