Economics Ministry to Request Explanation from LSM Latgale Studio for Skipping Conference

The Ministry of Economics (EM) plans to request an explanation from the Latgale studio of the Latvian Public Media (LSM) for its absence at a construction industry conference held Wednesday in Krāslava. Economics Minister Viktors Valainis stated that the event was significant enough to warrant coverage by the public broadcaster.

Valainis noted that local government officials in Latgale have long called for events to be moved from Riga to the region. When the ministry and private sector representatives responded to this call by organizing a high-quality event in Latgale, LSM—which has a dedicated studio nearby—showed no interest. He pointed out that other journalists, including those from Riga, had arrived early in the morning.

The minister said LSM had been repeatedly invited to cover the event to demonstrate that the government does not ignore Latgale. He acknowledged that LSM might have had other important assignments, but the ministry received no notification. Private media outlets, he said, at least informed the ministry in advance of their absence.

Valainis does not insist that LSM must cover him personally, but believes that other conference participants deserved attention. If the Latgale studio had more important events to cover, he is ready to apologize, but wants to know what those events were. He rejects concerns about media independence, arguing that it is a matter of priorities and the use of taxpayer funds.

The conference aimed to bring together representatives from public administration, finance, and construction sectors to discuss investments and economic development. Valainis stated that the event did not deserve zero attention from LSM.