EU asks Lithuania to explain how LRT reforms will comply with media freedom law

The European Commission has requested clarification from Lithuanian authorities on how proposed reforms to the country’s public broadcaster, LRT, will ensure compliance with the EU’s Media Freedom Act, BNS reports.

In a letter sent to Lithuanian institutions, European Commissioner for Values and Transparency Věra Jourová and Vice-President Hena Virkkunen asked for details on how the reforms will uphold Article 5 of the act, which governs the dismissal of public media leaders. The Commission also requested timelines for legal amendments and further information on planned measures.

The inquiry follows a December appeal by six Lithuanian MEPs—Dainius Žalimas, Petras Auštrevičius, Rasa Juknevičienė, Liudas Mažylis, Paulius Saudargas, and Virginijus Sinkevičius—who raised concerns over proposed changes to simplify the dismissal process for LRT’s director general. The reforms, initially blocked last year by opposition filibustering, are now back under consideration in the Seimas.

Article 5 of the EU Media Freedom Act requires that dismissals of public media heads before the end of their term must be “duly justified and only taken in exceptional cases,” based on “transparent, open, efficient, and non-discriminatory procedures.” It also mandates that member states ensure the independence of public media through fair appointment and dismissal processes.

The latest draft amendments to LRT’s governance rules outline grounds for early dismissal, including poor performance, breach of public interest, serious misconduct, or failure to meet reputation standards. However, the threshold for a no-confidence dismissal remains at two-thirds of the LRT Council—though the requirement for an open vote has been removed, leaving the voting method to the Council’s discretion.

The European Commission stated it would continue to “closely monitor the situation of media freedom and pluralism in all member states,” including Lithuania, both in the context of the Media Freedom Act’s implementation and in its annual Rule of Law Report.