Lithuanian parliament moves to increase fines for officials refusing information to journalists

The Lithuanian parliament is set to approve stricter penalties for government officials who obstruct journalists or refuse to provide information, following a vote on Monday, LRT reports.

Lawmakers backed amendments to the Administrative Violations Code that would raise fines for first-time offences to between €60 and €300, with repeat violations carrying penalties of €300 to €600. The rules apply to heads of state and municipal institutions, agencies, and companies.

The proposal, initiated by Rimas Jonas Jankūnas of the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union and refined by the Legal Affairs Committee, aims to address what supporters call inadequately low current fines. Jankūnas cited repeated cases where journalists were denied information, leaving the public uninformed. The measure passed with 76 votes in favour, four against, and 19 abstentions.

Under existing law, fines for such violations range from €20 to €140 for first offences and €50 to €300 for repeat offences. The amendments require a final parliamentary vote for adoption.