LŽA says that according to Article 65 of the Electronic Mass Media Law, only someone with at least five years of experience in mass media or company management can become a board member at a public media company.
The association stresses that Giels, on March 28 instated as board chairman at LTV by the National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEPLP), does not fit these criteria.
It therefore suspects that NEPLP members have fulfilled their duties negligently, without scrutinizing the professional qualifications of the candidate; or have abused their standing by willfully choosing a candidate that doesn't fit the legal requirements.
Earlier on March 30, LŽA publicly asked for the appointment to be cancelled. The association now asks the prosecutor to step in to defend public interests.
Last week NEPLP appointed Einārs Giels, Olainfarm marketing and sales data analyst as board chairman at LTV. Meanwhile, Eva Juhnevica, the executive director of the XXVI Nationwide Song and XVI Dance Celebration, has been appointed to the position of a board member in charge of digital development and contents.
There has been political backlash against the recent appointments of NEPLP – the New Conservative Party as well as New Unity have asked for a repeat contest to find LTV board members.
As reported by LSM, the previous LTV head, Ivars Belte, was unexpectedly dismissed at the end of 2018.
LSM is part of the same organization as LTV and Latvian Radio, overseen by NEPLP.
