Speakers warn of growing political pressure on Lithuania’s public broadcaster

LRT reported that participants in a discussion at this year’s Romualdas Sakadolskis Forum on media warned of growing political pressure on Lithuania’s public broadcaster and questioned the competence of its governing council.

The discussion, titled “What did the fight over LRT teach us?”, revisited protests held almost a year ago over political influence on the broadcaster. It also focused on developments in recent weeks that have raised concerns among some members of the media community.

This week, former journalist Artūras Račas was announced as a candidate for LRT ethics controller. The LRT council is also preparing to decide whether to find director general Monika Garbačiauskaitė-Budrienė in breach over undisclosed data about the people from whom the institution purchased services. Critics have called the move disproportionate and suggested it could put pressure on LRT.

Birutė Davidonytė, head of the Association of Professional Journalists, and other journalists have questioned Račas’s professionalism. He has also been criticised for attending an event mentioned in a threat assessment by the State Security Department.

Rita Miliūtė, an LRT and Redakcija journalist, said Račas’s selection for the second stage of the ethics controller competition showed that the alleged takeover of LRT was continuing.

“I am afraid new protests may be needed,” Miliūtė said. She also criticised the commission that selected Račas, noting that it is headed by Laura Matjošaitytė.

Discussion moderator Edmundas Jakilaitis said he believed the Social Democrats were “taking the temperature” on LRT, but that the ultimate aim was to dismiss Garbačiauskaitė-Budrienė.

“Where is this locomotive, this bulldozer, heading? Because it is clearly moving,” Jakilaitis said.

Tom Balžekas, chief executive of the 15min news outlet and a former member of the LRT council, said he believed the council was neither resistant to political pressure nor competent.

Balžekas said he had been appointed by former President Dalia Grybauskaitė, who, he said, did not interfere in his work. He contrasted this with President Gitanas Nausėda, who, according to Balžekas, summoned council members through an adviser after taking office.

“In my opinion, this was a plan by the presidency and the Social Democrats. They probably thought Monika was cooperating too much with the political right. Why they wanted this, only the devil knows. Probably it is a political game, perhaps a tradition. They will try to reach their goal in small steps,” Balžekas said.

He also said the council was unprofessional from a management perspective and hindered the organisation. Although some members may be experienced professionals in their own fields, he said, the council was marked by chaos and could not properly govern an organisation with more than 600 employees.

Miliūtė, who previously held management positions at LRT television, said attempts to influence the broadcaster had increased as it became more popular. She also said the council was not operating professionally.