Lithuanian parliament committee fails to review all proposals for LRT governance reform
The Lithuanian parliament’s Culture Committee did not complete its review of all proposed amendments to the law governing Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT) during a full-day session on Tuesday, BNS reports.
Dozens of proposals from lawmakers and stakeholders—including changes to LRT’s governance structure—remained unexamined. The committee decided against repealing the current legal provision that prohibits other broadcasters from operating on LRT’s frequencies or website without the approval of its governing board.
Gytis Oganauskas, LRT’s deputy director general, previously explained that this restriction is technical, preventing the national broadcaster from allowing third-party stations to use its allocated frequencies. Meanwhile, a working group led by Speaker of the Seimas Juozas Olekas seeks to limit the involvement of other media representatives in creating LRT content.
The committee rejected multiple proposals to reduce the number of LRT board members but agreed to shorten their terms from six to four years. It also opposed a suggestion that the Trilateral Council (a body representing the president, government, and parliament) appoint a board member, instead proposing that the National Coalition of Non-Governmental Organizations handle the selection.
A conservative lawmaker’s proposal to grant the Radio and Television Commission of Lithuania (LRTK) the right to delegate a representative to the LRT board was dismissed. However, the committee supported a liberal proposal by Vitalijus Gailius to raise competence criteria for board candidates. Under the approved version, members must be Lithuanian citizens of impeccable reputation with a master’s degree (or equivalent), strategic and financial analysis skills, proficiency in at least one EU official language (minimum B2 level), and five years of relevant experience—including at least three years in management, law, finance, public administration, or a field related to LRT’s activities.
The committee did not back calls for open voting on the dismissal of an LRT director before their term expires but approved the establishment of an LRT board bureau.
Tuesday’s meeting was held remotely, a decision justified by committee chair Kęstutis Vilkauskas (Social Democratic Party) due to unavailability of a physical venue and past inefficiencies in in-person sessions, which he attributed to lengthy speeches. Opposition members criticized the remote format, citing technical difficulties. Conservative Giedrė Balčytytė complained about being repeatedly muted: “I don’t know what you take us for—trained dogs? I can’t even start speaking because my microphone is turned off (…) I feel like I’m in a zoo, only allowed to signal that I’m ready to speak. I’m humiliated by this treatment.”
During the session, conservative vice-chair Vytautas Juozapaitis was cut off mid-speech after his microphone was disabled, leading him to exclaim an offensive term. He later apologized, stating he had lost patience and that the remark was not directed at Vilkauskas. Ethics and Procedure Committee chair Viktoras Fiodorovas confirmed to BNS that a complaint about Juozapaitis’s language had been filed by Remigijus Žemaitaitis, leader of the far-right “Nemuno Aušra” party.