The authorities approved the idea of supporting minority media projects with a separate funding line

In the early February of 2020, the European Foundation of Human Rights (EFHR) drew attention to the funding of minority media. Earlier, it appeared that after distributing state support to public information projects, the only Polish-language newspaper in Lithuania – “Kurier Wileński” – did not receive funding this year.

On its own initiative, EFHR appealed to the Press, Radio and Television Support Foundation (hereafter – the Foundation), the Department of National Minorities under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania (hereafter – the Department), the Ministry of Finance and the Government of the Republic of Lithuania to review the regulations of the competition to be held next year, adding a separate line for funding minority media projects.

In March 2020, EFHR received a response from two institutions – the Foundation and the Department. The former reported that the Foundation Board, after considering the appeal by EFHR, had agreed to support minority media projects under a separate funding line. The Department, for its part, informed that it has repeatedly expressed support for the inclusion of the priority of national minorities in various programmes financed from the state budget and made related proposals. The Department also approved the introduction of a separate funding line for national minority media through the Lithuanian Press, Radio and Television Support Foundation.

The European Foundation of Human Rights hopes that the expressions of support from the Press, Radio and Television Support Foundation and the Department of National Minorities will help ensure appropriate funding for minority media and the implementation of international recommendations.