Skip to content

Lithuania

March 11th - March 17th, 2024 | Week 28 | Month 7

Lithuania Weekly: Minister of Defence stepping down

During the reporting week, the Minister of National Defense, Arvydas Anušauskas, announced his resignation. The sudden and unexpected event generated mass reactions across all media, including the Kremlin-aligned. Most malign actors and outlets emphasised that after it became clear that Anušaukas resigned, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė had to explain the situation immediately. Failing to do so, or, as Kremlin-aligned media put it, “her unwillingness to do so”, indicated that “there is no professionalism left in this government”. They also claimed that it was not only “the worst time to announce his [Anušauskas] resignation” referring to the intense situation with the war in the close neighbourhood and during the weekend of the "election" of the Russian president), but the delayed response let the panic spread “like wildfire in society for three days”. The story itself and the follow-up handling of it allowed the anti-government narratives to spread further and possibly affect the general view of the ruling government before the upcoming elections later this year.

by Urtė Andriukaitytė

Main narratives:

  • the incompetence of the current government;
  • general anti-government sentiments;
  • speculations about the growing threat

Overview:

During the reporting week, the Minister of National Defense, Arvydas Anušauskas, announced his resignation. The sudden and unexpected event generated mass reactions across all media, including the Kremlin-aligned. Most malign actors and outlets emphasised that after it became clear that Anušaukas resigned, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė had to explain the situation immediately. Failing to do so, or, as Kremlin-aligned media put it, “her unwillingness to do so”, indicated that “there is no professionalism left in this government”. They also claimed that it was not only “the worst time to announce his [Anušauskas] resignation” referring to the intense situation with the war in the close neighbourhood and during the weekend of the “election” of the Russian president), but the delayed response let the panic spread “like wildfire in society for three days”. The story itself and the follow-up handling of it allowed the anti-government narratives to spread further and possibly affect the general view of the ruling government before the upcoming elections later this year.

Weekly Reports
New Lithuanian Parliament

Lithuania Weekly: Silent Protest Sparks Debate Over Coalition Controversy

November 11th - November 17th, 2024

Food

Latvia Weekly: False Claims About Food Parcel Proposal

November 11th - November 17th, 2024

Coalition Formation

Lithuania Weekly: Kremlin Media Discredits Lithuanian Elections Amid Controversial Coalition Formation

November 4th - November 10th, 2024

Trump

Latvia Weekly: Misleading Narratives Following Trump's Victory

November 4th - November 10th, 2024

Donald Trump

Estonia Weekly: Trump's Election Inspires Kremlin Supporters  

November 4th - November 10th, 2024

Elections in Lithuania

Lithuania Weekly: Social Democrat Leader Rejecting Prime Minister Post

October 28th - November 3rd, 2024

Latvia rail

Latvia Weekly: Economic Decisions Under Fire

October 28th - November 3rd, 2024

Estonia Weekly: Debate Heats Up Over Voting Rights and the Russian Church

October 28th - November 3rd, 2024

putin

Lithuania Weekly: Kremlin Media Portrays Shift Toward a Multipolar World

October 21st - October 27th, 2024

farming

Latvia Weekly: Farmers Voice Concerns Over EU Regulations

October 21st - October 27th, 2024

Don't miss a story.

We publish stories that change laws, lives, minds and the world. Subscribe to our newsletter to get our investigations delivered to your inbox.