LITHUANIA UNDER PROTEST SIEGE: THOUSANDS IN VILNIUS RALLY AGAINST GOV’S MEDIA CONTROL PUSH
The pro-EU Lithuanian government’s facing massive heat in Vilnius – over 10,000 folks stormed the streets, protesting proposed laws that’d make it easier to boot the public broadcaster LRT’s director, basically handing politicians more sway over independent media.
Critics, including the European Broadcasting Union, are sounding alarms that this threatens press freedom big time, with changes to dismissal rules seen as a sneaky power grab.
Protesters chanted “hands off” the media, demanding no meddling in free speech.
This isn’t the first wave – earlier rallies early December drew similar crowds.
The government’s defending it as reforms, but the backlash is real.
As are European frustrations over lacking media independence.
Source: LRT, EBU, OCCRP