Sittings · Document
Attempted takeover of Lithuania’s public broadcaster and the threat to democracy in Lithuania
20.1.2026 B100070/2026 }
B100073/2026 }
B100074/2026 }
B100075/2025 }
B100078/2025 } RC1/Am. 2
Amendment 2
Aurelijus Veryga, Ivaylo Valchev, Stephen Nikola Bartulica
on behalf of the ECR Group
Joint motion for a resolution
PPE, S&D, Renew, Verts/ALE, the Left
Attempted takeover of Lithuania’s public broadcaster and the threat to democracy in Lithuania
Joint motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
| Joint motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| Ba. whereas the governance, funding and oversight of public service media fall primarily within the competence of the Member States, provided that such measures are adopted transparently and in line with EU law and fundamental rights; whereas the independence of public service media should be accompanied by accountability, transparency and effective oversight, particularly where public funds are involved; |
Or. en
20.1.2026 B100070/2026 }
B100073/2026 }
B100074/2026 }
B100075/2026 }
B100078/2026 } RC1/Am. 3
Amendment 3
Aurelijus Veryga, Ivaylo Valchev, Stephen Nikola Bartulica
on behalf of the ECR Group
Joint motion for a resolution
PPE, S&D, Renew, Verts/ALE, the Left
Attempted takeover of Lithuania’s public broadcaster and the threat to democracy in Lithuania
Joint motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
| Joint motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| Ca. whereas the European Media Freedom Act establishes principles for transparent, objective and proportionate governance of public service media, but does not prescribe specific voting practices, uniform dismissal thresholds or detailed governance models, leaving such matters to the discretion of the Member States; |
Or. en
20.1.2026 B100070/2026 }
B100073/2026 }
B100074/2026 }
B100075/2026 }
B100078/2026 } RC1/Am. 4
Amendment 4
Aurelijus Veryga, Ivaylo Valchev, Stephen Nikola Bartulica
on behalf of the ECR Group
Joint motion for a resolution
PPE, S&D, Renew, Verts/ALE, the Left
Attempted takeover of Lithuania’s public broadcaster and the threat to democracy in Lithuania
Joint motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)
| Joint motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| Ja. whereas the financing of public service media constitutes State aid within the meaning of Article 107(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and must comply with the principles laid down in the Commission communication on the application of State aid rules to public service broadcasting and the relevant case-law of the Court of Justice of the European Union, including the requirements of transparency, proportionality and effective public oversight; |
Or. en
20.1.2026 B100070/2026 }
B100073/2026 }
B100074/2026 }
B100075/2026 }
B100078/2026 } RC1/Am. 5
Amendment 5
Aurelijus Veryga, Ivaylo Valchev, Stephen Nikola Bartulica
on behalf of the ECR Group
Joint motion for a resolution
PPE, S&D, Renew, Verts/ALE, the Left
Attempted takeover of Lithuania’s public broadcaster and the threat to democracy in Lithuania
Joint motion for a resolution
Recital J b (new)
| Joint motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| Jb. whereas, in 2021, the Commission rejected a complaint alleging the incompatibility of the LRT funding model with EU State aid rules, concluding that the measures at issue did not require prior notification to or approval by the Commission; whereas, on 21 May 2025 the General Court of the European Union annulled that decision in Case T-72/221, finding that the Commission had incorrectly assessed the applicability of the State aid coordination obligation in relation to the contested measures; ____________ 1 Judgment of the General Court of 21 May 2025, Interneto žiniasklaidos asociacija and Others v Commission, T-72/22, ECLI:EU:T:2025:531. |
Or. en
20.1.2026 B100070/2026 }
B100073/2026 }
B100074/2026 }
B100075/2026 }
B100078/2026 } RC1/Am. 6
Amendment 6
Aurelijus Veryga, Ivaylo Valchev, Stephen Nikola Bartulica
on behalf of the ECR Group
Joint motion for a resolution
PPE, S&D, Renew, Verts/ALE, the Left
Attempted takeover of Lithuania’s public broadcaster and the threat to democracy in Lithuania
Joint motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
| Joint motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 1a. Reaffirms that safeguarding the independence of public service media providers must go hand in hand with accountability, transparency and effective oversight, in order to maintain public trust and ensure the proper use of public funds; |
Or. en
20.1.2026 B100070/2026 }
B100073/2026 }
B100074/2026 }
B100075/2026 }
B100078/2026 } RC1/Am. 7
Amendment 7
Aurelijus Veryga, Ivaylo Valchev, Stephen Nikola Bartulica
on behalf of the ECR Group
Joint motion for a resolution
PPE, S&D, Renew, Verts/ALE, the Left
Attempted takeover of Lithuania’s public broadcaster and the threat to democracy in Lithuania
Joint motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
| Joint motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 1b. Recalls that the National Audit Office of Lithuania identified shortcomings in areas such as internal procurement controls, staffing practices and programme content accessibility, and noted that the current legal and operational framework does not clearly define institutional responsibility for planning, supervising and evaluating LRT’s performance, nor does it ensure a clear link between LRT’s activities and the public funding it receives; |
Or. en
20.1.2026 B100070/2026 }
B100073/2026 }
B100074/2026 }
B100075/2026 }
B100078/2026 } RC1/Am. 8
Amendment 8
Aurelijus Veryga, Ivaylo Valchev, Stephen Nikola Bartulica
on behalf of the ECR Group
Joint motion for a resolution
PPE, S&D, Renew, Verts/ALE, the Left
Attempted takeover of Lithuania’s public broadcaster and the threat to democracy in Lithuania
Joint motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
| Joint motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 5a. Recalls that the European Media Freedom Act does not prescribe specific voting systems, such as open or secret ballots, for decisions concerning the governance of public service media, but instead focuses on transparency, objective criteria and duly justified decisions; |
Or. en
20.1.2026 B100070/2026 }
B100073/2026 }
B100074/2026 }
B100075/2026 }
B100078/2026 } RC1/Am. 9
Amendment 9
Aurelijus Veryga, Ivaylo Valchev, Stephen Nikola Bartulica
on behalf of the ECR Group
Joint motion for a resolution
PPE, S&D, Renew, Verts/ALE, the Left
Attempted takeover of Lithuania’s public broadcaster and the threat to democracy in Lithuania
Joint motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
| Joint motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 5b. Recalls that public funding of public service media providers must comply with EU State aid rules, including the requirement that public compensation be subject to clearly defined public service obligations, effective oversight mechanisms and transparent reporting, in order to ensure that such funding does not distort competition and remains compatible with the internal market; |
Or. en
20.1.2026 B100070/2026 }
B100073/2026 }
B100074/2026 }
B100075/2026 }
B100078/2026 } RC1/Am. 10
Amendment 10
Aurelijus Veryga, Ivaylo Valchev, Stephen Nikola Bartulica
on behalf of the ECR Group
Joint motion for a resolution
PPE, S&D, Renew, Verts/ALE, the Left
Attempted takeover of Lithuania’s public broadcaster and the threat to democracy in Lithuania
Joint motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 c (new)
| Joint motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 5c. Underlines that effective oversight and accountability mechanisms, including with regard to the use of public funds, are inherent elements of compliance with EU State aid rules and do not, in themselves, constitute political interference, provided that such mechanisms are applied objectively, proportionately and in full respect of editorial and institutional independence; |
Or. en