Lithuanian parliament committee concludes LRT law amendments debate, vote delayed

The Lithuanian parliament’s Culture Committee has completed its review of proposed amendments to the law governing national broadcaster LRT but will delay its final decision until the next meeting, BNS reports.

After ten sessions—some lasting an entire workday—the committee concluded discussions on Tuesday, with Chairman Kęstutis Vilkauskas (Social Democrats) stating that the draft conclusions, spanning around 500 pages, require final review. “Those preparing the conclusions should carefully re-examine everything,” he said, thanking committee members and other lawmakers for their contributions.

The amendments drew over 150 proposals from MPs, 15 organisations, citizens, and state institutions, alongside more than 40 legal observations from the Seimas Legal Department. On Tuesday, members refined several previously agreed formulations and decided that LRT’s editorial guidelines would be set by the heads of its radio, television, and online news divisions.

“This avoids the appearance of politically influenced editorial policy,” Vilkauskas emphasised.

The committee also voted against altering the proposed implementation deadlines for the amendments, meaning the current LRT director could be dismissed under the new rules.

Protests under the slogan “Hands off free speech. We will not surrender” have accompanied the debate over the changes, which critics argue could undermine the broadcaster’s independence.