The Lithuanian regulator LRTK has warned that if the country’s parliament (Seimas) decides to extend the state of emergency only on the border with the Belarus and Russia, the ban on broadcasting TV channels from or linked to the two countries will cease to be valid.
In a statement, LRTK adds that it strongly suggests that rebroadcasters and distributors of television channels operating in Lithuania avoid rebroadcasting such television channels. It also draws attention to the fact that amendments to the Public Information Law have been prepared and already registered in the Seimas, transferring the ban on rebroadcasting or distributing TV channels on the internet, which was in effect after the state of emergency was introduced throughout Lithuania.
LRTK adds that it previously suspended the free reception of nine TV channels rebroadcast in Russian, the distribution of 32 TV channels related to Gazprom-Media, the operation of 92 internet sites publishing the Kremlin’s propaganda content in Lithuania. Furthermore, it appealed to the YouTube and the technology company that manages it, Google, for the removal of disinformation content.
However, taking into account the likely needs of Russian-speaking Lithuanian residents to have a wider opportunity to watch a wider variety of media content in Russian-language TV channels, it recommended that telecommunications operators providing rebroadcast services in Lithuania include Ukrainian TV channels in their list of rebroadcast channels, and rebroadcast more independent media TV channels in Russian in Lithuania.
