Lithuania’s state broadcaster rejects efforts to limit independent media
Last week, parliament approved the first reading of a bill introduced by Remigijus Zemaitaitis, leader of the populist Dawn of Nemunas party, which would reduce the dismissal threshold from a two-thirds majority to a simple majority. Zemaitaitis later suggested a compromise requiring at least seven out of twelve council votes, while the LRT Council maintains that the existing rule of eight votes should remain.
On Monday, LRT journalists and staff urged the government to withdraw the draft, warning that the process excluded media organizations and legal experts. They said the proposal conflicts with the European Media Freedom Act and could contravene Lithuania’s Constitutional Court guidance, potentially allowing each new government to appoint a loyal director. “Our concern is not about any specific individuals – we are protesting against efforts to dismantle the safeguards that protect LRT’s independence,” the statement published on LRT’s website read.
The dispute comes amid a planned “political neutrality” audit of LRT and a parliamentary decision to freeze its funding for 2026-2028, moves staff say threaten the outlet’s autonomy. Employees have launched a week-long protest, including brief on-air silences, and are calling on the public to attend a rally outside parliament on December 9.
In November, Dawn of Nemunas issued a resolution accusing Lithuanian media of abandoning public-service principles and becoming “tools not of conveying information, but of concealment, open propaganda, and sowing discord.”
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