Saeima Elects Dita Remberga to Latvia's Media Regulator Council

Latvia's parliament, the Saeima, has elected Dita Remberga as a member of the National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEPLP). She previously headed the council's Monitoring Department. NEPLP is the body that oversees electronic media in Latvia. The decision brings the council back to full strength: the vacancy appeared when former NEPLP chair Ivars Āboliņš left to work at the Ministry of Culture.

The vote

Remberga was confirmed for a five-year term with 56 votes in favour, 16 against and six abstentions. Four deputies did not vote. Nine of the 11 members of the Saeima's Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee had backed her candidacy, after the committee had earlier postponed the decision. She was nominated by National Alliance deputy Jānis Eglīts.

Other applicants were Līga Ādamsone, Kārlis Dagilis, Žanete Grende, Guntars Līcis, Guntis Meisters, Kristers Pļešakovs, Jeļena Volkova and Daiga Sproģe. Maija Armaņeva of the party Latvija pirmajā vietā put forward Pļešakovs for the vote, while Ieva Brante of the United List proposed Grende.

Debate over independence

Linda Liepiņa of Latvija pirmajā vietā criticised the candidate's independence, noting that Āboliņš became parliamentary secretary at the Ministry of Culture after leaving NEPLP and has now been elected to the 15th Saeima on the National Alliance list.

Eglīts stressed that the committee, not his party, put forward the candidate. In his words, Remberga had been involved in the council's largest decisions, and NEPLP won 94 percent of court cases.

Progressives deputy Atis Švinka said he would not vote, arguing that the council's independence should have been guaranteed first. National Alliance deputy Artūrs Butāns noted that former heads of other institutions have also entered politics.

The foundation Ilgtspējas fonds sent a letter of objection to the Saeima and the President, calling the confirmation a political effort to keep control over the council.