Reports
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: 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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Lithuania Weekly: Government Distrust, Ethnic Divisions, and Freedom of Speech Concerns
Lithuanian media was dominated by various topics, giving a clear and convenient basis for anti-government narratives to spread. Teachers’ protest taking place, was picturing Lithuania as a failed state by harshly criticising its education system; recently proposed comprehensive reform plan for the country's Public Security Service (VST) sparked many discussions about its necessity and future impact for people in the field; blames of general incompetence of the ruling government continued to be a prominent topic. Kremlin-aligned media in the country claimed to have “finally figured out” who is mainly benefitting from the war in Ukraine, referring to Western countries, mocked the new or ongoing sanctions imposed on Russia, and kept ironically calling Lithuanian politicians the “real supporters of war”.
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Lithuania Weekly: Anti-Ukraine and Anti-Support Sentiments
Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and its spillover effects (the outlets highlighted a Russian drone exploding in NATO territory, calculations of Russian losses so far in the war, and Ukraine’s movement in the battlefield around Donetsk city; attempts of migrants to illegally cross the border with Belarus, after Lithuania decided to close two more border crossings with the country; a new rise in COVID-19 cases. Kremlin-aligned media in Lithuania continued to actively promote the anti-government narrative, with the majority of most popular stories from this type of media outlet carrying this sentiment. Articles mainly targeted the whole government and judicial system, accusing them of dishonesty, bribery, and general incompetence. Kremlin-aligned media also emphasised the damage that the war in Ukraine causes to Lithuania and tried to promote the necessity of a truce, under any conditions.
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