On April 3, the National Electronic Mass Media Council of Latvia (NEPLP) decided to put restrictions on broadcasting of the TV channel Russia RTR on the territory of Latvia for three months. However, according to the survey conducted by the marketing and public opinion research center SKDS in the middle of March, 70% of the population in Latvia do not support NEPLP’s idea of shutting down another major Russian-language channel (First Baltic Channel, PBK Latvia), and only 7% are in favor of such a possible decision.

Recently, NEPLP have publicly announced that they plan to decide in favor of shutting down some of the Russian TV channels, including the First Baltic Channel (PBK). Restricting the broadcasting of the TV channel Russia RTR was one of the first steps in implementing the announcement. However, according to the results of the research conducted among 1000 residents of Latvia aged 18-74 years, 50% of respondents are strongly against the idea of closing PBK, and 20% tend to be rather unsupportive of the idea. In turn, only 7% of residents expressed strong support to radical decision, and 7% tend to be rather supportive to decision shut down PBK. 16% of those surveyed were undecided.

59% of respondents who do not support the idea of closing PBK are convinced that it would be ‘censorship and restricting free speech, which is inadmissible in a democratic country’. Half of respondents hold an opinion that such a decision would trigger national hatred and enmity.

In view of recent events, the First Baltic Channel has already turned to the President of the European Parliament, Mr. Martin Schulz, and to the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Ms. Dunja Mijatović, to evaluate the current events.