Latvian MPs endorse limitations of on non-Latvian language broadcasting

RIGA, July 13 (Itar-Tass) -- The Latvian parliament on Monday by a
majority vote adopted a bill on Electronic Mass Media limiting TV and
radio broadcasting in any languages other than the official one, including
in the Russian language spoken by some 30 percent of the country's
population.
Previously, the parliament has already passed a relevant bill binding
national TV and radio companies to broadcast at least 65 percent of air
time in the Latvian language, including 40 percent of prime time from
19:00 till 23:00. Latvian President Valdis Zatlers, however, turned down
the bill and sent it back to the parliament requesting to impose similar
limitations on regional TV and radio broadcasters. These amendments were
incorporated in the bill passed on Monday.
Meanwhile, Latvia's biggest Russian-speaking opposition alliance
"Concord Centre" said the new bill runs counter to the ruling of the
country's Constitutional Court of 2003, which abolished "language" quotas
for broadcasters.
-0-ras