LRT reform protest organiser calls for dialogue instead of demonstrations
The organiser behind last month’s protest against proposed reforms to Lithuania’s public broadcaster LRT has urged critics to engage in dialogue rather than public demonstrations, arguing that protests alone will not resolve disagreements, reports LRT.
Juozas Olekas, the speaker of the Seimas who led the working group drafting the amendments, told journalists that “marching and burning effigies” would not lead to solutions. “I have always believed it would be far better if we could sit down and talk,” he said. He recalled early working group meetings where representatives from the Journalists’ Professional Association and LRT’s own initiative group had been invited to participate and propose alternatives. “Now they did not take part, the law exists, there is no alternative—and we are protesting again,” he noted.
Olekas stressed that the Seimas remains the proper forum for submitting proposals and voting on changes. “Do we have an opinion that things should be done differently? The suggestions for introducing a governing board were joint, made together with the opposition, who participated and proposed these measures,” he said. While acknowledging the law is not perfect, he added: “If we find good arguments for improvements, we can improve it. But if we just march and burn effigies, saying everything is bad—then there is no solution.”
When asked whether he would invite protest organisers for discussions, Olekas responded: “I will think about it.” The protest, scheduled for April in Vilnius’ Independence Square, is being organised by the Journalists’ Professional Association and the Cultural Assembly. They oppose key changes in the draft law, including the creation of a new governing board for LRT, adjustments to the composition of its council, and expanded grounds for the early dismissal of the director general.
Under the proposed reforms, LRT’s council would consist of 15 members—public figures, academics, and cultural representatives—appointed for six-year terms, with four selected by the president and four by the Seimas. From 2028, a new five-member board could take over strategic, financial, and operational management, appointed by the council for five-year terms. The draft also retains the current rule requiring a two-thirds council vote to dismiss the director general for no confidence, though the council could choose to vote openly or in secret. Additional grounds for early dismissal would include misconduct, violations of public interest, serious professional misconduct, or damage to the broadcaster’s reputation.
In December, around 60 journalists from various media outlets, along with two journalist representative organisations, wrote to lawmakers, the prime minister, and the culture minister to express concerns over the reforms. An earlier government-backed draft had proposed secret ballots for appointing and dismissing LRT’s director and expanded no-confidence procedures, but its consideration stalled after opposition lawmakers submitted hundreds of amendments and the chair of the Seimas Culture Committee fell ill.