Lithuanian culture minister skips LRT reform meetings, citing time constraints

Lithuania’s Culture Minister Vaida Aleknavičienė has explained her absence from parliamentary committee meetings on proposed reforms to the national broadcaster LRT, stating she regrets spending time on what she called “strange proposals and disruptions,” LRT reports.

Aleknavičienė told lawmakers on Thursday that her schedule was planned in advance and that she preferred to focus on “other activities where I can help and solve problems.” Her comments came in response to criticism from conservative committee member Vytautas Juozapaitis, who accused her of either skipping meetings entirely or making only brief appearances.

“When your committee meets—though you’re always invited—you’re not there. If you do appear, it’s briefly on screen, and you leave without even saying goodbye,” Juozapaitis said during a government question hour in the Seimas. He questioned whether the minister was being prevented from expressing her views, warning that without government input, the draft law would be “meaningless.”

The Culture Committee has held three sessions this week to debate amendments to the LRT law, which include restructuring the broadcaster’s governance by introducing a new board, changing the composition of its council, and revising the process for dismissing its director general. Critics argue the changes risk political interference in public media.

Opposition lawmakers have submitted over 50 amendments, while the Venice Commission has called for an expedited review of the proposed reforms. Last week, around 10,000 protesters gathered under the slogan “Hands off free speech! We won’t surrender” to oppose the changes, which follow a failed attempt last December to simplify the dismissal procedure for LRT’s director general.

The latest draft also includes restrictions on other media outlets operating on LRT’s channels or website without council approval. Individuals linked to other media would only be permitted to contribute to LRT content under strict editorial policies and after declaring potential conflicts of interest.