EU YLE

TYRANNICAL EU: THOUGH SHALL NOT RECORD POLITICIANS SPEAKING OFF THE CUFF…….

This has got to be a first, the TT is sticking up for YLE, the Finnish state broadcaster.

Yle published video on April 27, in which SDP chair Antti Rinne speculates that ex- party chair Jutta Urpilainen is trying to make a comback. The conversation was recorded in Riga on April 24. Video: Yle

Yle banned from EU Council roundtable meetings in Riga for remainder of Latvian EU presidency

The Latvian EU presidency has moved to ban national broadcaster Yle from access to roundtable meetings in Riga for the remainder of its term as President of the EU Council. The decision came after Yle published a video in which Social Democratic Party leader Antti Rinne declares that ex-party chair Jutta Urpilainen has begun a campaign to oust him from the position.

The decision to disqualify Yle from access to roundtable meetings during the rest of Latvia’s EU presidency was handed down on Thursday, May 30 by Jānis Bērziņš, spokesman for Latvia’s permanent representation to the EU.

The spokesperson said the decision followed Yle’s publication last Friday of a conversation between Social Democratic Party chair Antti Rinne and Slovakian Social Democratic Minister Peter Kažimír, which took place on April 24.

During the conversation, Rinne remarks to Kažimír that former SDP leader Jutta Urpilainen is launching a campaign to reclaim the party chair.

“Jutta has now started a campaign,” Rinne said.

“Campaign for what?” Kažimír asked.

“For the presidency,” Rinne replied.

“Of the party?” Kažimír enquired.

“Yes,” Rinne replied.

“Ah, so she would like to come back?” Kažimír pressed.

“Yes,” Rinne said.

The Latvian EU spokesman said that Yle’s recording and subsequent publication of the conversation violated the rules members of the media are required to observe when working at the European Council Press Centre, particularly during Council meetings and meetings of the European Council.

The rules stipulate that the media guidelines are to be upheld at European Council meetings in Brussels and Luxembourg.

Yle: We didn’t break the rules

Yle said that since the video in question was recorded in Riga, Latvia, it did not violate the rules.

Yle also said that it decided to release the recording because of the national significance of the conversation. The national broadcaster had previously reported that ex-chair Jutta Urpilainen as saying that incumbent Rinne asked her not to stand for the position of parliamentary group leader, because of their divergent political views.

Rinne later implied that he asked Urpilainen not to stand in the event she might be needed for a ministerial position and said that his suspicions about her intentions were due to a misunderstanding.

The two appeared to have settled their public differences since then. However sources told Yle that the party remained divided, with some supporting Urpilainen – who narrowly lost the chairmanship to Rinne during party elections last summer – and others backing former union man Rinne.

The flare-up in intra-party relations took place as Prime Minister-elect Juha Sipilä considers his options for forming a coalition government following recent parliamentary elections. The Social Democratic Party has indicated that it is ready to be part of the governing coalition.

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