Campaign broadcasts

1. Dedicated campaign broadcasts (hereinafter: ‘dedicated broadcasts’) may be broadcast on television, over the radio and online. Dedicated broadcasts may take the form of broadcasts of either national or regional level. They shall be organised during an electoral political campaign in accordance with the rules approved by the Central Electoral Commission, after the campaigners have been made aware of these rules.

2. National-level dedicated broadcasts shall be attended by the following:

1) representatives of lists of candidates nominated in a multi-member constituency of an election to the Seimas;

2) presidential candidates;

3) representatives of lists of candidates nominated for an election to the European Parliament.

3. Regional-level dedicated broadcasts shall be attended by the following:

1) nominated or self-nominated candidates in single-member constituencies of the Seimas;

2) mayoral candidates;

3) representatives of political parties or political committees who have nominated a list of candidates in a multi-candidate constituency; representatives of lists of candidates nominated in a local election.

4. The Lithuanian National Radio and Television shall produce and transmit national-level dedicated broadcasts from the budget appropriations allocated to it. The Central Electoral Commission shall, in agreement with the Head of the Lithuanian National Radio and Television, approve the rules governing the preparation, length and scheduling of these broadcasts.

5. Producers and transmitters chosen by the Central Electoral Commission shall produce and transmit regional-level dedicated broadcasts in accordance with the rules governing their production. The production and transmission of regional-level dedicated broadcasts shall be funded from the state budget appropriations allocated to the Central Electoral Commission for the organisation and holding of elections.

6. The Central Electoral Commission shall determine the number of participants of dedicated broadcasts. When large numbers of participants intend to take part in dedicated broadcasts, groups may be formed on the basis of a written agreement between the participants or, in the absence of an agreement, by drawing lots.

7. All broadcasters shall be entitled to produce debates on their own initiative, ensuring the diversity of opinions, equal treatment of campaigners and their representatives attending the debate, and acting in compliance with the requirements for financing electoral political campaigns laid down in this Code. Other conditions set out in this Article shall not apply to the said debates. State politicians and/or civil servants may attend the debates by virtue of their office, provided that the debates contain no political advertising.

8. The Central Electoral Commission shall settle all disputes regarding the production of the said debates.