Reports
Lithuania Weekly: Global Security, Anti-government Sentiments, and New Fundraisers
Alongside mainstream/independent media coverage of ongoing events and widely discussed topics, Kremlin-aligned media in Lithuania further promoted the anti-government narrative. Almost all top stories from this type of media covered the work of the ruling government or specific politicians, as well the prioritisation of Ukraine over domestic issues. Hostile media not only continued to undermine Lithuania’s ongoing support for Ukraine, but also asked rhetorical questions about the need for humanitarian support elsewhere following the Hamas attacks on Israel, such as “how long will we have to wait until another fundraiser will appear to take our money?”.
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Lithuania Weekly: Bomb Threats, Hamas’ Attacks, and New Real Estate Tax
This week, all types of media in Lithuania were overwhelmed discussing alleged bomb threats in the country. In just a couple of days, the police in Lithuania had received more than 1,500 reports from various institutions of received bomb threats, that were concluded to be “a targeted and coordinated attack carried out at the initiative of hostile states. Kremlin-aligned media used the government’s “inadequate reaction” to false bomb threats to further spread the anti-government sentiments. The other topics with most engagement during this reporting week were: Hamas’ attack on Israel and its spillover effects, Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, visibly increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases in Lithuania, and Seimas’ approval of the draft law concerning the real estate tax.
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Lithuania Weekly: Distrust in Officials and Confusion between Private and Public Interests
Analysis of specifically Kremlin-aligned media in Lithuania revealed that these outlets continued to promote the anti-government narrative. All most engaged stories from this type of media outlet carried negative sentiments targeting the government, trying to turn its audience against the main ruling politicians or national institutions. In the centre of attention this week - Lithuanian Chief of Defence General Valdemaras Rupšys, who made headlines due to revelations about the (mis)use of his state allowance, which he used to rent an apartment from his son. Kremlin-aligned media, whose interest greatly corresponds with anti-government sentiments, widely covered this topic, emphasising the confusion between public and private interests. The authors used the situation to question the general’s morals, negatively picturing not only him, but the whole ruling government and governance system in general. Kremlin-aligned media constantly use similar narratives to draw wider pictures at the national level, beyond single cases.
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Lithuania Weekly: Undermined Support for Ukraine, Upcoming Elections and Political Mistrust
During this reporting period, Kremlin-aligned media emphasised the “failing education system” (due to the ongoing teachers’ protests) and commented on all the revealed candidacies for the upcoming presidential elections. Hostile media has also continued to undermine support for Ukraine, claiming that the main initiators of its fundraisers in Lithuania are widely involved in accounting scandals and are only looking to benefit from the funds themselves.
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