After a marathon debate, the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, approved in second reading amendments to legislation governing the appointment and dismissal of the head of the country’s public broadcaster, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), BNS reported. Unexpectedly, MPs approved a satirical provision that would involve an opposition MP’s cat in the process of removing…
Journalists and cultural workers in Lithuania have begun a three-day protest outside the parliament, the Seimas, against legislation that would facilitate dismissing the director of the country’s public broadcaster, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), BNS reports. Also, inflatable “air dancer” dolls were set up outside the office of President Gitanas Nauseda, urging him to…
The European Commission (EC) warned that the current funding model for Estonia’s public broadcaster, Eesti Rahvusringhääling (ERR), may violate the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), ERR reports. Giuseppe Abbamonte, deputy director-general of the EC’s Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content, and Technology in charge of media policy, stated that Estonia’s protection of the independence of public…
The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has approved in first reading amendments to make it easier to dismiss the director general of the country’s public broadcaster, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), BNS reports. Altogether 76 MPs voted for, 50 against, and none abstained. Almost all MPs from the ruling three-party coalition backed the bill. The…
Lithuania’s ruling Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (LSDP) plans to draft a new bill to make it easier to dismiss the director general of the country’s public broadcaster, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), BNS reports. Under the proposed amendments, LRT’s council would be able to dismiss the company’s director with simple majority by secret…
The supervisory council of Estonia’s public broadcaster, Eesti Rahvusringhääling (ERR), has dismissed its long-term chairman, Rein Veidemann, ERR reports. Earlier, Veidemann had criticised an interview of a same-sex couple with two children that was aired on ETV, saying that the programme ran counter to the values of the majority of Estonians. ERR’s supervisory council elected…
Thousands of people gathered outside the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, on 9 December 2025 to protest against planned changes to the management of the country’s public broadcaster, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), BNS reports. Location data from mobile operators showed that around 40,000 people took part in the demonstration, DELFI reported. The protesters accused…
Staff at Lithuania’s public broadcaster, Lietuvos Nacionalinis Radijas ir Televizija (LRT), have announced a week-long protest against a proposal to make it easier to remove the company’s director general, LRT reports. During the action, the staff will hold brief moments of silence on air. Also, journalists plan a protest rally outside the Lithuanian parliament, the…
Several media outlets from Russia moved their editorial offices to Latvia after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, LSM reports. Latvia has since issued over 6,000 visas to Russian citizens, of whom 500 are journalists and their family members. Dace Melbarde, parliamentary secretary at Latvia’s Foreign Ministry, said that giving Russian journalists an…