The Lithuanian Association of Professional Journalists said Friday it plans to stage a protest outside parliament next month over proposed changes to public broadcaster LRT’s governing law that critics say could weaken its independence.
“Their first target is LRT. Next they will restrict other media. Then they will ban all independent creators by branding them as foreign agents, and in the end they will silence all of you,” the association said in a Facebook post. “The crackdown on free speech has begun and it will not stop. We say: hands off.”
The protest is scheduled for December 9 in Independence Square. Organisers said more details will be announced next week.
Vilnius municipality spokesman Gabrielius Grubinskas confirmed to BNS that the city received a request for a permit for a gathering of up to 5,000 people on that date.
“We received the request and it will be coordinated with the organisers before the permit is issued, which will be done next week,” he said.
The request was filed by an individual associated with the journalists’ group. Organisers described the purpose of the event as a protest against what they view as a political takeover of the media.
Broader debate on LRT governance
The Internet Media Association (IMA) said the proposal to make it easier to dismiss the LRT director general should prompt a wider discussion on how the broadcaster is governed and funded, in line with European Union best practices and European Commission rules.
The IMA said LRT’s mission must be clearly defined, it should face independent external oversight, and its funding should reflect the real cost of carrying out that mission. The group also called for preventing cross-subsidisation of commercial activities and allowing the broadcaster to recover overpayments.
“In December, the association will present specific proposals to the parliament, the government and the Culture Ministry on how to improve LRT’s governance and funding model in line with European traditions, and will invite politicians to a broader discussion,” IMA Chairwoman Lina Businskaitė said Thursday.
“We also ask that media organisations be consulted when media regulation is being drafted,” she added.
Audrys Antanaitis, chairman of the Lithuanian Journalists’ Union, earlier told BNS that the proposal – which cleared its first reading Thursday with support from the ruling coalition – is “rushed and dangerous”.
Lower threshold for removing LRT chief
As reported by BNS, amendments initiated by Nemunas Dawn leader Remigijus Žemaitaitis would lower the threshold for dismissing the LRT director general. Under the proposal, the LRT Council could remove the director with a simple majority, instead of the current two-thirds requirement.
Žemaitaitis acknowledged lawmakers may need to revise the bill later to require support from more than half of council members – at least seven of 12 – to remove the broadcaster’s head.
The LRT Council has urged lawmakers to keep the existing rule, which requires at least eight votes to dismiss the director general. Nemunas Dawn has also proposed making any dismissal vote a secret ballot.
The draft amendment to the Law on the Lithuanian National Radio and Television now moves to parliamentary committees for further consideration.
Separately, parliament voted this week to freeze LRT’s budget for three years, meaning it will receive €79.6 million annually in 2026, 2027, and 2028.
Some media outlets and opposition lawmakers say the changes amount to political interference in LRT operations. The opposition has said it plans to take the matter to the Constitutional Court.
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