Lithuania: Official letter to the authorities on the draft amendment to the Lithuanian Law on National Radio and Television
The International and European Federation of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ), together with the International Press Institute (IPI), have sent a letter to the Lithuanian authorities expressing concern about the draft amendment to the Lithuanian Law on National Radio and Television (LRT). The draft was submitted by Mindaugas Lingė, Member of Parliament, on 14 June 2024 as part of efforts to increase Lithuania’s defence spending. The draft, which threatens the public broadcaster’s funding model, was submitted without prior consultation with LRT. We urge the authorities to engage in an open and transparent discussion with LRT to ensure that any changes to the funding model guarantees that LRT is fully funded and able to fulfil its public service remit.
This statement was produced by EFJ as part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries.