Lithuanian academics propose safeguards for LRT independence amid political pressure

Lithuanian experts have presented an alternative governance model for the national broadcaster LRT, warning that recent political attempts to reform its structure risk undermining editorial independence and public trust, LRT.lt reports.

Speaking at a discussion at Vytautas Magnus University (VDU), philosopher Gintautas Mažeikis compared political interference in media to judicial overreach, calling it a “fundamental violation of the separation of powers.” He argued that if editorial freedom had been properly protected, the current “chaos” surrounding LRT reforms would not exist.

“Imagine if courts issued rulings and politicians summoned judges to demand: ‘How could you acquit this person? Punish that one instead,'” Mažeikis said. “This is exactly what’s happening with media—just replace judges with journalists.”

The academics’ proposal, led by VDU professor Auksė Balčytienė, emphasizes the need to preserve LRT as a “public broadcaster and a pillar of national information security” amid global instability. Balčytienė criticized the lack of public input in the reform process, noting that while protests and expert analyses have been vocal, their concerns remain sidelined.

Researcher Džina Donauskaitė questioned the rushed nature of the reforms, which she said abandon LRT’s long-standing funding model—a fixed percentage of tax revenue—once considered exemplary in Europe. “This system is now being dismantled in favor of closer political ties, which would weaken LRT as a public institution,” she warned.

Vytautas Nekrošius, president of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, stressed that while no media is entirely free of bias, LRT’s content must reflect diverse perspectives. He called for a fully depoliticized LRT Council, arguing that current proposals risk turning the broadcaster into a “politically compliant” tool. “If one side sees a problem and the other doesn’t, the solution is dialogue—not unilateral action,” he said.

The academics’ concept, unveiled last week, rejects piecemeal adjustments in favor of a comprehensive framework to shield LRT from political influence. They caution that without safeguards, any legislative changes may ultimately be discarded as flawed.