Mask-free music award ceremony in Lithuania met by public backlash

A music award ceremony held in Lithuania’s Kaunas amid lockdown restrictions has caused a backlash from medics, the public, as well as politicians.

The music award ceremony M.A.M.A, held at Žaligirio Arena in Kaunas on Saturday, attracted some 300 people. According to the organisers, every participant had undergone a prior Covid-19 test.

“We have done an experiment [to see] how we could live and allow the [cultural] sector to work,” Rolandas Skaisgirys, one of the organisers, told LRT RADIO on Monday. “We have done everything according to the rules.”

“The government should give us a medal for it,” he said.

However, the decision to hold the event was condemned by politicians from both the ruling coalition as well as the parliamentary opposition.

“The breaches in [lockdown] restrictions will not help expedite the reopening of cultural institutions,” said Seimas Speaker Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen. “I am sure that police officers will do their job when investigating the circumstances.”

M.A.M.A music awards held amid lockdown in Lithuania, March 2021. | BNS nuotr.

The police have now started an investigation after receiving 30 reports of lockdown violations.

“We will wait for the explanations of the organisers and the participants before taking decisions,” Ramūnas Matonis, spokesman for the Lithuanian Police, told BNS.

Public events are not allowed under lockdown restrictions currently in place in the country. However, the Ministry of Health has commented that the award ceremony was treated as a TV production and not a public event, therefore not subject to the ban. The ceremony was filmed and broadcast by the TV channel TV3.

M.A.M.A organisers issued a statement later on Monday, saying that they had consulted with professionals from sports and culture sectors in Spain, Denmark, and Germany.

The event took place without spectators, the arena was split into different zones, the number of personnel was reduced, and the premises were thoroughly disinfected.

“All the staff wore masks. To ensure the safety of the participants, [we had] signed a contract with the UnaVita clinic to test the participants,” the organisers said.