Lithuanian President Signs Overhaul of LRT Governance
President Gitanas Nausėda has signed amendments reforming the governance of Lithuania's public broadcaster LRT, introducing a new board and expanding the council. The changes have sparked controversy, with journalists' associations and international organizations urging their withdrawal.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has signed into law amendments that significantly overhaul the governance structure of the state-owned public broadcaster LRT. The president's office announced the signing on Friday without further comment. The Seimas passed the legislation just over a week ago.
The amendments introduce an LRT board, expand the broadcaster's council, establish fixed terms for governing body members, and strengthen their powers. The changes also revise the grounds on which the director general can be dismissed. The ruling majority maintained the original implementation deadlines during the legislative process, meaning the new rules, including the revised dismissal procedures, could apply to the current LRT leadership.
The move has proved controversial. The Association of Professional Journalists (ŽPA) urged President Nausėda to veto the bill, arguing that applying new dismissal grounds to an incumbent director general contradicts international recommendations on media governance. The Venice Commission and Reporters Without Borders also called for the amendments to be withdrawn.
Current LRT director general Monika Garbačiauskaitė-Budrienė, whose position may be at risk, had previously expressed hope that the legislation would be referred to the Constitutional Court.
