Lithuanian Research Council launches first public selection for LRT board members

The Lithuanian Research Council (LMT) has announced its first-ever public selection process for a board member position at Lithuania’s national broadcaster LRT, citing a need for greater transparency, LRT.lt reports.

Under current law, four public organisations—including the Research Council—have the right to each appoint one member to LRT’s 12-person governing board. While legislation does not require open competitions for these roles, LMT chairman Gintaras Valinčius said the council opted for a public process “to make the selection as open as possible” in light of recent controversies surrounding the broadcaster.

“I believe that operating in public view reduces the risk of misconduct when your actions are observed by journalists and society,” Valinčius told BNS. “We are guided by the public interest—people have the right to know how these individuals are chosen for their positions.”

Applications will be accepted until April 21, with a five-member commission of LMT staff selecting the candidate. By law, appointees must be Lithuanian citizens of impeccable reputation holding a master’s degree and at least five years of professional experience.

The Research Council’s nominee is expected to advocate for broader coverage of scientific issues, promote research activities, encourage discussions on ethics in science, and support lifelong learning initiatives through LRT’s programming.

The four organisations—the Research Council, the Lithuanian Creators’ Association, the Lithuanian Bishops’ Conference, and the Lithuanian Education Council—will appoint their new board members in May for a six-year term. The president and parliament (two members each from the ruling majority and opposition) appoint the remaining eight board members under a separate timeline.

Public broadcasters have faced scrutiny in Lithuania, with some journalists protesting proposed governance reforms they argue could threaten press freedom. The current LMT-appointed board member, Darijus Beinoravičius, was reportedly found to have committed plagiarism in a 2023 academic paper by Mykolas Romeris University’s ethics committee, according to a December report by news portal Delfi.