Lithuanian ruling coalition accused of turning public broadcaster into state-run TV

The Lithuanian ruling coalition aims to transform the country’s public broadcaster LRT into a state-controlled outlet executing government orders, Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, leader of the opposition Liberal Movement, warned on Friday.

Speaking to Žinių Radijas, Čmilytė-Nielsen criticised repeated proposals by coalition representatives to interfere in LRT’s editorial content, calling the planned amendments “increasingly dangerous.” She accused the government of ignoring dissenting voices and pushing ahead with reforms that would turn the public broadcaster into a “state television with government-mandated content.”

The politician claimed the latest draft law expands on a December proposal but retains its core flaws, including a failure to depoliticise LRT’s governing council. Instead, she argued, it introduces further restrictions—such as limiting the participation of other media representatives in LRT programming—while misleadingly presenting the changes as depoliticised.

Čmilytė-Nielsen also dismissed government claims that the amendments align with recommendations from the Venice Commission, the Council of Europe’s advisory body on constitutional law. “The facts and the black-and-white text of the project contradict the justifications given by those in power,” she stated, adding that the issue has become a rare unifying force within the fractured ruling coalition.

When asked whether opposition factions would resort to procedural delays—such as the filibuster tactics used last year—she acknowledged the difficulty of countering the reforms with arguments alone. “Many serious, substantive amendments have been submitted, but the committee is rushing to finalise the matter by May,” she said.

The controversy follows a protest on Wednesday, where around 10,000 demonstrators gathered under the slogan *”Hands off free speech! We will not surrender”* to oppose the proposed changes. The amendments, which include creating a new LRT governing board, altering its council’s composition, and easing the dismissal of its director-general, were fast-tracked by a Seimas working group in March.

Under the draft, other media outlets would require LRT council approval to operate on its platforms, while individuals affiliated with external media could only contribute to LRT content under strict conflict-of-interest rules. The Venice Commission has criticised the hasty process, echoing concerns raised during a failed attempt to push through similar reforms in December.

That earlier effort collapsed after opposition lawmakers submitted hundreds of obstructive amendments and the Culture Committee’s chairman fell ill, stalling the vote.