Discussion of the Lithuanian situation has been included into the Thursday’s agenda of the European Parliament’s (EP) Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee. The EU’s executive arm, the European Commission, has said it is working with Vilnius to establish whether the restrictions are in line with the EU law.
The Lithuanian Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information classifies any information which “denigrates family values” or “encourages a concept of marriage and family other than the one stipulated in the Constitution” as detrimental to children.
A group of EP members have turned to the European Commission, saying that the that the law effectively bans LGBT-related information from places accessible to minors. Politicians also say that, quoting this law, Lithuanian television channels refused to broadcast a social ad tackling stereotypes about LGBT.
The EC said it was in contact with the Lithuanian government to establish whether the law is in line with the directive on audiovisual services, which only allows restrictions of information that may cause major damage to physical, mental and moral development of minors.
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