Lithuania’s parliament late Tuesday approved an opposition-backed proposal that mockingly conditions the early dismissal of the head of public broadcaster LRT on a vote of no confidence by a lawmaker’s cat, underscoring deepening tensions over proposed changes to the broadcaster’s governance.
The Seimas voted 43-23, with eight abstentions, in favour of an amendment introduced by conservative lawmaker Dalia Asanavičiūtė-Gružauskienė. Under the proposal, the LRT director could be removed before the end of a term due to no confidence only if MP Agnė Širinskienė’s cat, Nuodėgulis, were to express such no confidence.
Approval of the amendment alters the wording of a Social Democrat-sponsored proposal on the dismissal of the LRT head that had been backed by the Culture Committee. The text could still be changed during the final adoption stage.
Opposition lawmakers said the proposal was intended as a satirical response to what they view as a rushed and cynical effort by the ruling majority to weaken safeguards for the national broadcaster’s independence.
“We all sit here understanding that we’re talking nonsense, and it’s uncomfortable,” former prime minister and opposition lawmaker Ingrida Šimonytė told the chamber. “But there is no other way to respond to absurdity than with absurdity.”
She said it was unsettling to participate in such proceedings, adding that parliament should focus on “truly fundamental issues”.
Liberal Movement leader Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen said she opposed legislative proposals that are not directly related to the substance of the law but criticized the ruling coalition even more sharply.
“I am against hypocrisy. I am against pretending that there is concern for journalists’ well-being,” she said, calling claims of urgency a “manipulation”.
Tensions escalated further during the session after news outlet Lrytas published photos appearing to show members of the ruling Social Democrat faction consuming alcoholic beverages in parliament. Conservative leader Laurynas Kasčiūnas raised the issue from the floor, sarcastically demanding to know where wine and whiskey were being served while others worked through the night.
Earlier Tuesday evening, the Seimas began debating amendments to the LRT law that would make it easier to dismiss the head of the national broadcaster. Opposition lawmakers, who had boycotted plenary sittings since last week, returned to present their proposals, more than 150 in total.
Most of the amendments submitted by the opposition are humorous, ironic or deliberately absurd, aimed at highlighting their opposition to the government’s draft law. The Culture Committee considered the proposals on Monday and Tuesday and rejected all of them.
The opposition has previously said it intends to pursue a filibuster, a parliamentary tactic using prolonged debate and procedural motions to delay or block the adoption of legislation.
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