Report
Lithuania Monthly: Kremlin Narratives Exploit Protests to Undermine Democracy
Throughout November 2024, Kremlin-aligned media in Lithuania amplified anti-government narratives, tying them to recent parliamentary election results and protests. These outlets framed events as evidence of systemic instability and exploited them to spread disinformation, fostering division and undermining democratic institutions.
Monthly Reports
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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Latvia Monthly: “National Security Concept 2023” and the the opposition party “Stabilitātei!”
Following the introduction of the “National Security Concept 2023” in late September, the leader of the opposition party “Stabilitātei!” Aleksandrs Rosļikovs commented on the matter in a Tiktok video stating that the new concept aims to prohibit people from speaking in Russian and that “ignoring 40% of the population” is going to backfire.
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Estonia Monthly: Language policy: if Russian would “disappear” in Estonia in the “Latvian way”.
The Estonian social media and web-based media actors during the reporting month predominantly were focused on the Estonian/Russian language policy issues, human rights issues, democracy and trust towards elected officials, war in Ukraine 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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