On 7 July, Vaiva Žukienė, Chair of the Media Support Fund (hereinafter referred to as the Fund), Ruslanas Iržikevičius, Director of the Fund, and Ramona Žalakevičienė, Advisor, met with Šarūnas Birutis, Minister of Culture, Dr. Viktoras Denisenko, Deputy Minister, and Rasa Zdanevičiūtė, Advisor to the Public Information and Copyright Policy Group. During the meeting, the process of preparing and approving a special programme for additional funding following the entry into force of amendments to the Law on Gambling, as well as changes to the rules for submitting projects funded by the Fund and the general principles of the Fund’s activities, were discussed.
It should be noted that the Fund’s Council prepared and approved at its meeting on 23 June 2025 a draft amendment to the rules for submitting projects financed by the Fund (hereinafter referred to as the Rules). On 26 June the Fund’s administration submitted the draft amendments to the Rules to the Ministry of Culture for coordination and approval. Also on 26 June, the Fund’s General Meeting of Shareholders approved the financing conditions for the Special Programme for Lost Revenue Related to Restrictions on Gambling Advertising (2025-2027).
During the meeting with the Minister of Culture, the financing conditions of the Special Programme were discussed in detail, as well as the legal aspects and procedures related to the final approval of the programme. The participants agreed that the approval of the Special Programme should be considered a priority to ensure that the call for proposals is published as soon as possible, i.e., in 2025, so that support to the media can be provided in a timely and effective manner.
The meeting also focused on changes to the rules for submitting projects to be financed by the Fund. It was emphasised that the Fund’s activities should be based on the consistent strengthening of the media system, particularly in the field of regional and cultural media. These areas play a crucial role in promoting democratic values, ensuring access to information across different regions of the country, and encouraging a diversity of content that reflects the voices of various communities. Discuss the fundamental principles of the Fund’s activities, ensuring the implementation of its functions and the transparency and effectiveness of the distribution of support, as well as further cooperation with the Ministry of Culture.
