LRT governing board abruptly ends meeting as journalists arrive to protest

The governing board of Lithuania’s public broadcaster LRT unexpectedly adjourned its Thursday meeting after journalists entered to protest against proposed legal amendments, LRT.lt reports.

The session had included a discussion on silent protests by LRT journalists, who have been interrupting broadcasts with pauses to oppose changes to the broadcaster’s legal status. While administrators were invited to address the issue, a group of employees also arrived at the closed-door meeting.

Board chairman Mindaugas Jurkynas declared a recess upon seeing the journalists, stating, “The meeting is closed,” and asked them to leave. When the break ended, the board decided to terminate the session entirely. Several members left the building without commenting.

Board member Jonas Staselis told ELTA that the planned discussion did not directly concern the protesting journalists, so there was “no need to speak with them.” He claimed the board was addressing internal administrative matters, not the protests themselves. “The board, which fights for free speech, has no right to discuss its own free speech,” he said, calling the disruption a “rough violation” of procedure.

Indrė Makaraitytė, a representative of the protest’s organising group, called the board’s move an “embarrassment” and a sign of disrespect. “We came to talk, to explain why we’re protesting. The chairman has never invited us to discuss this. They deliberated whether to speak with us—and decided to just end the meeting,” she said.

Another board member, Deimantas Jastramskis, opposed raising the issue at all, arguing that journalists have the right to protest under the Public Information Ethics Code. “Choosing the form of protest is their right,” he stated.

The board has not confirmed whether the topic will be revisited at its next meeting.