Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT) announced Thursday it will no longer invite lawmaker Remigijus Žemaitaitis to its live programs after the parliament’s ethics watchdog ruled that the Nemunas Dawn leader violated the politicians’ code of conduct with comments targeting the public broadcaster. However, LRT soon retracted the decision, following criticism from its own reporters.
“Live broadcasting requires responsibility and respect – it is a space for arguments, not insults or hate rhetoric,” Inga Larionovaitė, head of LRT’s TV News Service, said in the original statement. She stressed that the decision was not intended to restrict debate.
“We will continue to cover political processes and assess the actions of all politicians, but live programs must ensure a safe and respectful environment for both viewers and journalists,” Larionovaitė said.
LRT said it remains committed to open political discussion but will uphold an editorial policy that prevents discrimination and hate speech on air.
The move follows a ruling by the parliament’s Ethics and Procedures Commission after LRT filed a complaint over posts on Žemaitaitis’ Facebook account criticising the broadcaster. The posts labelled LRT “mud-slinging media”, insulted journalist Edmundas Jakilaitis and included remarks such as “Has the communist LRT woken up?” and “An old KGB method: if LRT calls you, you can smell the Soviet stench from a distance!”
LRT said the statements violated principles of respect, integrity, impartiality and responsibility set out in the Code of Conduct for State Politicians.
The broadcaster also noted that the Vilnius Regional Court on December 4, 2025, found Žemaitaitis guilty of hate speech and trivialising the Holocaust.
In late December, 15min.lt reported that Žemaitaitis was the lawmaker most frequently reviewed by the Ethics and Procedures Commission during the current parliamentary term, with five findings of unethical behaviour last year alone.
Criticism from LRT reporters
The statement drew criticism, including from LRT's own staff on social media.
LRT quickly issued another statement, saying it admits making a mistake and retracts its decision to bar Žemaitaitis from LRT live broadcasts.
"This decision made by the editors was hasty, with too little attention paid to the voices of the LRT community. LRT is staffed by professional journalists who take responsibility for deciding whom to invite to the programs. They do this in accordance with the highest journalistic standards, assessing various circumstances, public interest, the competence and reputation of the invitees, therefore, an attempt to make decisions for them was unnecessary," Larionovaitė said.
She added, however, that she stands by the earlier statements about the importance of respect on live air.
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