Riigikogu appoints three experts to ERR council

Estonia’s parliament, the Riigikogu, has appointed Veronika Kalmus, Merit Kopli and Marek Tamm as expert members of the Estonian Public Broadcasting (ERR) council, ERR reported Wednesday.

The decision was approved by 58 votes to 24. Coalition parties, the Social Democratic Party and some unaffiliated MPs voted in favour. Representatives of Isamaa, the Centre Party and EKRE, along with some unaffiliated MPs, voted against.

The Riigikogu’s Cultural Affairs Committee sought new members after a law adopted in early summer required the ERR council to have more recognised experts in broadcasting than representatives of parliamentary groups. With six groups in parliament and four expert members already on the council, three more experts had to be selected.

The committee opened a public call on August 17. Forty people applied by the September 7 deadline, and 38 met the requirements. In a vote on September 21, the committee selected Kalmus, Kopli and Tamm. Committee chair Liina Kersna described them as trustworthy and independent experts.

The expert members serve five-year terms. The other expert members are Paavo Nõgene, Raul Rebane, Rein Veidemann and council chair Sulev Valner. The council also includes one representative from each Riigikogu group, whose terms last until the current parliament’s mandate ends.