Estonian PM: No Simple Fix for Russian Media Influence in Ida-Viru County
Estonian MP Aleksei Yevgrafov asked Prime Minister Kristen Michal how to make Estonian and local outlets the main news source in Ida-Viru County. Michal conceded there is no easy solution and urged local politicians to spread verified information.
Aleksei Yevgrafov, a member of the Estonian parliament (Riigikogu) for the Centre Party, raised the issue of crisis communication in Narva, Sillamäe and Ida-Viru County as a whole, the country's eastern region bordering Russia. He told the prime minister that for many residents of the region, Russian media remain the main source of information.
Yevgrafov put the question late on Monday evening, after a no-confidence vote against the government had already failed in parliament. He asked Prime Minister Kristen Michal of the Reform Party how to reverse this trend and make Estonian and local media the main news source for people in the region.
Michal called it a "billion-dollar question" and acknowledged that no simple solution exists. At the same time, he said the state has for many years funded quality public broadcasting programmes and supported independent Russian-language media, including privately owned outlets.
A call to local politicians
The prime minister also addressed Ida-Viru politicians themselves. He noted that local opinion leaders can help by sharing verified information and helping people find their way during crises.
Michal said Yevgrafov and his colleagues could likewise spread the sources and information that help people better understand what is happening in crisis situations. In his words, this is part of their mandate and the reason they were elected, so people expect such information from them.
