Over 200 LSM staff urge Saeima to drop urgency for contentious law amendments
More than 200 employees of Latvian Public Media (LSM) have sent an open letter asking the Saeima to withdraw urgent status for amendments to the public media law. They also want the public media supervisor's proposals backed to safeguard LSM's independence.
More than 200 employees of Latvian Public Media (LSM) have addressed an open letter to the Saeima, Latvia's parliament, as reported on 21 October 2026. The letter is directed at the Saeima's Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee and at all deputies. In it, staff ask that urgent status be withdrawn from amendments to the Law on Public Electronic Mass Media and Their Management, which governs how public media in Latvia are run.
What the staff are asking for
The authors urge lawmakers to support proposals submitted by the public media supervisor. In their view, these proposals are needed to ensure LSM's independence. The employees also call on the Saeima not to rush through the amendments, which LSM describes as contentious.
Why it matters
Removing urgent status would mean the Saeima considers the amendments under the regular procedure rather than a fast-tracked one. Whether the supervisor's proposals are adopted or rejected would affect how the independence of the public broadcaster is safeguarded. The available information does not describe the content of the amendments in detail or say when the Saeima plans to consider them.
