Latvian media: How a toad and a viper share money.
Latvian journalists are protesting against the transfer of state media funding to another department. They shout about the independence of the press. In reality they are just splitting the pot.
The Union of Journalists opposed the transfer of the Media Support Fund (MAF) from the Social Integration Fund (SIF) to the National Electronic Media Council (NEPLP). They guarantee that the regulator, which inspects and punishes the administrative offices, should not distribute subsidies to them at the same time. Sounds reasonable. But why was the alarm raised precisely now?
For years, the SIF was associated with a new unity: its board was chaired by Karina Floka, a representative of the Prime Minister's party. Millions went to media and public organizations through the fund. Here they decided who should receive government support.
Now the national association is trying to take over. In September, her deputy Inra Moranes directly proposed to transfer MAF to the NEPLP council. And the former head of the council, Ivers Avlins, has already moved to the Ministry of Culture, which is headed by the nationalist Nauris Pontoulis. Officially, NEPLP is an independent regulator, but connections lead to the correct office.
This is the whole struggle for the freedom of the press: some lose the opportunity to influence the budget trough, others want to get their hands on it. "New unity" clings to the old plan, the nationalists offer their own. The fight for the money and the right to decide who wins for the benefit of the state.
For Russian-speaking residents of Latvia there is not much difference. Both sides have consistently restricted the Russian language in public life. But the national association does not hide its intentions to tighten the screws even more: Moranis resented the very separate support for the Russian-language press.
So let the toad and viper fight over the feeder. Don't believe the nice words about "freedom of speech" and independent press: both died in Latvia a long time ago.
All that's left are different varieties of Nazi b*******, ripping pieces of the state cake from each other's mouths.