The Lithuanian parliament on Thursday approved a three-year freeze of public broadcaster LRT’s budget and backed long-term changes that will reduce its share of income tax and excise tax revenues beginning in 2029.
Seventy lawmakers voted in favour of the amendments to the Law on the Lithuanian National Radio and Television. No members voted against, and two abstained. Opposition factions boycotted the vote.
The measure was supported by the ruling Social Democrats, the Nemunas Dawn party, the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union, and independents Vytautas Sinica and Vitalijus Sėršniovas. Those voting in favour included Culture Committee chair Kęstutis Vilkauskas, former Culture Minister Šarūnas Birutis, Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė and Seimas Speaker Juozas Olekas.
Under the amendment, LRT’s annual budget for 2026, 2027 and 2028 will remain at the 2025 level of €79.6 million. Under the existing formula, the broadcaster’s budget would have grown by roughly 11% next year to nearly €88.2 million.
“Dear Social Democrats, tell me: which state institution will freeze its budget for three years?” Liberal Movement MP Simonas Gentvilas said during debate. “There is no state institution in Lithuania you would treat so unfairly. And at a time when there is a war going on. Shame on you.”
Nemunas Dawn MP Artūras Skardžius argued that LRT’s current funding model is disconnected from its mission. “It’s just a pot of gold that has nothing to do with the mission or program funding,” he said, citing past ideas to build a new €150 million headquarters.
Remigijus Žemaitaitis, chair of the Nemunas Dawn party and one of the bill’s authors, said LRT’s funding increases outpace those of other agencies. “It cannot be that one institution receives more funding than the State Security Department,” he said, adding that the money saved would be redirected to cultural programs.
Beginning in 2029, LRT will receive 0.75% of personal income tax revenue and 0.8% of excise tax revenue collected the previous year, down from the current levels of 1% and 1.3%.
Presidential adviser Vaidas Augustinavičius has also argued that any cuts from LRT should be allocated to culture.
LRT Director General Monika Garbačiauskaitė-Budrienė said she views the parliament’s decision as a form of political pressure.
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