We invite journalists, media representatives, and journalism students to attend a lecture by Šarūnas Černiauskas, founder of the Center for Investigative Journalism Siena (Lithuania) and recipient of the Peter Greste Baltic Freedom of Speech Award in 2017 and 2025.

In the summer of 2025, work of investigative journalists led to one of the most significant political crises in Lithuania’s recent history. A series of joint investigations conducted by Siena.lt and Laisvės TV brought public attention to alleged misconduct at the highest levels of government, ultimately contributing to the resignation of Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas and his entire cabinet.

This lecture will examine how investigative reporting influenced these political developments and explore the developments that followed. Particular attention will be given to debates surrounding the future of Lithuania’s national broadcaster, LRT, and to the prominent role played by media professionals in public demonstrations, which brought together thousands of citizens to oppose proposed amendments to the law governing the public broadcaster.

As noted by Šarūnas Černiauskas, “Journalists decided to forget competition for the time being and organised some of the largest protests in Lithuania’s modern history. The country is still in turmoil, and freedom of speech is under an unprecedented threat. All of that, indirectly, is a fallout of Siena’s and Laisvės TV’s investigations.”   

When? February 24, 16:00–18:00

Where? SSE Riga (Stockholm School of Economics in Riga, Strēlnieku iela 4a, Riga)

Language: English