As 10,000 citizens fill the streets to defend broadcast independence, theatre replaces governance.
Opposition legislators in the Seimas voted 43-23 to approve a requirement for a feline veto over the removal of the public broadcast head.
Conservative lawmaker Dalia Asanavičiūtė-Gružauskienė authored a tactical disruption specifying that removing the Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT) director general requires approval from Nuodėgulis, a black cat belonging to MP Agnė Širinskienė. Provision received 67 votes during a 12-hour session.
Gitanas Nausėda voiced scepticism regarding standards governing feline intervention in state affairs.
Calculated Restructuring of Public Media
Satirical cat amendment acts as a veil for a weighty expansion of administrative control. Audit portraying systemic risks at LRT became the basis for wide governance changes.
The governing coalition, led by Social Democrats and the Nemunas Dawn party, imposed a rigid budget ceiling of €79.6 million annually for three years. Fiscal restriction dismantles insulation provided by automatic tax percentages established in 2015 to protect LRT from political whims.
Legislative changes dilute dismissal requirements by lowering necessary council votes from eight to seven and introducing secret ballots. Expansion of grounds for removal to include vague criteria like “improper performance” manifests international alarm.
The European Broadcasting Union informed European commissioners that accelerated procedures bypassed necessary checks. The ruling majority proceeded without expert reviews requested by the opposition from Vilnius University.
Prioritisation of Legislative Counts
Political momentum originates in a partnership built on pragmatism.
Remigijus Žemaitaitis established the Nemunas Dawn party following expulsion for hateful rhetoric.
The Constitutional Court ruled in April 2024 that Žemaitaitis violated his parliamentary oath through social media posts. He resigned to bypass formal removal, then returned to power in October. The party captured over 15 per cent of the vote, becoming a partner for the majority. Social Democrats entered partnership despite earlier public commitments.
International allies issued rebukes. US Senator Ben Cardin remarked that coalition makeup tests democratic standards. German official Michael Roth labelled the alliance inconsistent with Western values. The court found Žemaitaitis guilty of inciting hatred and issued a fine. Artūras Skardžius now leads the parliamentary audit committee regardless of past inquiries into foreign business links.
Public Concerns and Parliamentary Farce
The opposition registered over 150 amendments to force a delay.
Proposals, including requirements for journalists to interview politicians in specific musical keys, turned the session into a tactical farce. Outside the Seimas, a solemn assembly formed. Police estimated that 10,000 people gathered for the “Hands Off Free Speech” rally to protest the weakening of media foundations.
LRT journalist Edvardas Kubilius spoke about exhaustion with lawmakers acting as though immune to legal accountability. Musician Andrius Mamontovas performed to request presidential intervention. Birutė Davidonytė noted on social media that sustained public presence remains a requirement for a free press. A citizen from Klaipėda expressed the feeling that her country was becoming an alien environment.
Fragility of Institutional Autonomy
Governance of LRT was structured to prevent concentration of media power.
The current council incorporates appointments from varied sectors including presidency, parliament, and civil society. Architecture is rooted in hard-won autonomy following decades of media control. Dismantling protections leads toward conflict with the European Media Freedom Act.
International monitors view developments as part of a regional trend. Slovak broadcaster RTVS encounters comparable pressure. Mindaugas Sinkevičius observed that the legal verdict against his partner has not diminished government standing. The coalition will await final legal appeals before reviewing the partnership.
Performative exchanges coincided with reports of coalition members consuming alcohol during the session. Laurynas Kasčiūnas sarcastically inquired about hospitality being enjoyed by individuals avoiding the floor.
While cat amendment will fade, 143,000 petition signers view underlying threats as existential. The future of Lithuanian democracy rests on whether institutions survive elected individuals.
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