Report
Lithuania Monthly: Make russia Small Again
The disqualification of Lithuanian athlete Kornelija Dūdaitė from the World Functional Sports Championships sparked widespread debate, highlighting the entanglement of sports and global politics. Celebrated at home for her bold stance against Russian athletes competing under their national symbols, Dūdaitė faced intense criticism from Kremlin-aligned actors who labeled her actions as Russophobic. This incident underscores how geopolitical tensions permeate even the sporting arena, with reactions ranging from admiration to condemnation on a global scale.
Monthly Reports
Lithuania Monthly: Wagner Group Symbol on Display and Willingness to Defend
Specifically, malign Kremlin-aligned media channels that are still operating in Lithuania further promoted anti-government sentiments to their followers. Fair deal of the most engaged stories from this specific type of media discussed and emphasised the domestic issues and harshly commented on the poor work of the government or specific officials, broadcasting negative anti-government narratives to their audiences. During this reporting month, pro-Kremlin actors kept on questioning politicians’ competencies and financial transparency (referring to the previously analysed MG Baltic case) and criticised major institutions of the cointry, such as Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Lithuania, accusing it of committing severe crimes and comparing it to a “well-organised mafia”.
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Latvia Monthly: Threat of Immigrants from Middle East
The video’s author starts by stating: “You know what? All of the controversies about the language divide in Latvia is just a diversion from the real issues- immigration from the Middle East”. The author of the video goes further to say that this is an issue common to the European Union and mentions an example of a group of migrants from the middle east raping a fifteen-year-old girl- they were not punished for their crime. The author ends the video by stating that this is an issue that the Latvian representatives in the European Parliament have not dealt with- potentially due to upcoming European Parliament elections.
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Estonia Monthly: Estonian government changing the language of instructions in all schools to Estonian
The Estonian social media and web-based media actors during the reporting month predominantly were focused primarily on the war in Ukraine, America’s role, as well as the international security situation in general. They also focused on Estonian and Ukrainian relations, and President Zelensky’s call to draft more Ukrainians for the war. This month the attention turned more toward the Estonian government budget, and how it will affect the low-income families and people of Estonia. Attention was also given to the Russian schools and Estonia’s language policy surrounding the change in language of instruction. Accordingly, the main narratives that were spread over the social media were the following:
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Lithuania Monthly: Another Citizenship Removal and MG Baltic Case
Specifically Kremlin-aligned media channels in Lithuania continued to actively broadcast anti-government sentiments to their audiences. Absolute majority of the most engaged stories from this type of media covered domestic issues and widely commented on the work of the government or specific politicians, carrying a negative anti-government narrative. During this reporting fortnight, Kremlin-aligned actors emphasised citizens’ growing dissatisfaction with the current government, referring to the protest, that was initially organised to oppose the proposed property tax, held outside the Seimas. Also, outlets emphasised rising prices, and increasing crime rates in the country, arguing that it is becoming “dangerous to live” in Lithuania.
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Latvia Monthly: Private Airplane Flights Taken by Krišjānis Kariņš
During the reporting month the main controversy that struck the Latvian public and was further incorporated in the disinformation narratives was the private airplane flights taken by Krišjānis Kariņš during his time as the prime minister. At the beginning of the controversy the amount spent on the flights was thought to have reached approximately 600 000 euros which already caused high criticism from the public and comparison to leaders of other similarly situated state leaders taking commercial flights. Thus, further creating the perception that life in other states is exceptionally better and such scandals are only prevalent in Latvia. The controversy continued to fuel discussions and continue to be discussed by the examined disinformation channels as new information showed that the actual amount spent on the private flights was 1 363 861 euros.
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Estonia Monthly: Restrictions on Native Language
The Estonian social media and web-based media actors during the reporting month predominantly were still focusing on the Estonian/Russian language policy issues, specifically the policy which is introducing Estonian language in all the government funded schools, human rights issues, democracy and trust towards elected officials, war in Ukraine, as well as the international security situation in general. This month the attention towards terrorist crisis in Israel somehow diminished, but in turn, it went more over the economic and financial issues and the context of the European Union in this regard. Accordingly, the main narratives that were spread over the social media were the following:
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Lithuania Monthly: Lithuanian Schools Inundated with Bomb Threats in Coordinated Attack
Analysis of Kremlin-aligned media in Lithuania reveals a continued focus on promoting the anti-government narrative. All top stories from these specific outlets carry negative sentiments targeting the government, in an attempt to turn their audience against the main ruling politicians and national institutions. During the reporting period, Kremlin-aligned media outlets emphasized the “failing education system” (due to the ongoing teachers’ protests), commented on all the revealed candidacies for the forthcoming presidential elections, emphasized the government’s inadequate response to false bomb threats and detailly analysed the case of Lithuanian defence chief Valdemaras Rupšys, misusing his state allowance.
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Latvia Monthly: Istanbul Convention
“Ārlietu ministrs Kariņš nesenā uzstāšanās Strasbūrā minēja to, ka tie, kas ir pret Stambulas kоnvenciju ir it kā Krievijas ietekmēti”/ Foreign affairs minister Kariņš in his recent visit in Strasbourg claims that those that are against ratification of Istanbul Convention are influenced by RussiaThe ratification of the Istanbul Convention has been on the agenda of the leading Latvian party “Jaunā Vienotība”, however it has not been able to receive the necessary support within the parliament. In late spring of 2023, the topic of violence against women in Latvia and the lack of mechanisms to prevent it or protect women was brought up following a shocking homicide of a mother by her previous partner in which the police was, in view of public opinion, compliant due to their negligence. Following the incident Krišjānis Kariņš had publicly stated that the coalition should be more active in its efforts to ratify the Istanbul Convention and had set is a goal for the
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Estonia Monthly: Yana Toom on the Estonian ban on issuing visas to Russian citizens
The Estonian social media and web-based media actors during the reporting month predominantly were still focused on the Estonian/Russian language policy issues, human rights issues, democracy and trust towards elected officials, war in Ukraine, terrorist crisis in Israel as well as the international security situation in general. Accordingly, the main narratives that were spread over the social media were the following:
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