Due to the persistent violations of international and national law, the dissemination of information threatening national security, the propaganda of war and incitement to national hatred, the spread of biased disinformation, on 25-28 February 2022, the Radio and Television Commission of Lithuania has already suspended from 3 to 5 years eight Russian-language propaganda television channels (Planeta RTR, Rossija 24, NTV Mir and Belarus 24, First Baltic Channel Lithuania). (“PBK”), “TVCi”, “MIR24” and “RBK-TV”) retransmitted in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania.

However, in view of the sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United States on the Russian Federation, which as well impose certain financial restrictions on the Russian Federation bank Gazprombank, which operates GazpromMedia, the Radio and Television Commission of Lithuania considers it fair and necessary to suspend all Russian television programmes retransmitted in Lithuania related to GazpromMedia, which receives financial income from the retransmission of these television programmes, and thus helps to maintain the regime of the Russian Federation Government.

In order to implement this, the Radio and Television Commission of Lithuania started coordinating actions with the Government of the Republic of Lithuania in order to make the necessary amendments to legal acts.