VILNIUS - On a trip to Ireland, conservative MP Vilija Aleknaite-Abramikiene claimed that broadcast Russian TV was shaping the worldview of Lithuanians living and working in Ireland. "The most disquieting thing is that the Kremlin is shaping the world outlook of all those little Lithuanian emigrants 's the kids," Aleknaite-Abramikiene said during a press conference on Sept. 26.
"Since the children are at home, they are faced with two alternatives, either to watch TV in English, or to watch broadcast Russian TV. I was told that Lithuanian children who [live in Ireland] start speaking a mixture of several English words, a lot of Russian words and only a few words in Lithuanian," Aleknaite-Abramikiene said.
In spite of the parliamentarian's shock, there has been little financial support for broadcasting Lithuanian television in Ireland, or anywhere else.
"When I voiced the idea of broadcasting via a more powerful satellite, I was assaulted on grounds that it would be an additional burden to the state," said Kestutis Petrauskis, the director of Lithuanian Radio and Television (LRT).
"For us to be able to broadcast abroad, the state has to amend the television law, which currently provides that Lithuanian television cannot have more than two channels. Some extra funding for that additional broadcasting must be provided as well," Petrauskis told the Baltic News Service on Sept. 26.
According to the LRT Director, providing Lithuanians abroad with the possibility to watch free Lithuanian television requires a political decision 's an amendment to the television law as well as the allocation of extra funding. A special channel for emigrants would cost 3 million litas (870,000 euros) per year. Currently, Lithuanian emigrants can watch some national programs over the Internet and on cable TV. However, cable does not cover all of Europe, including Ireland and Spain, places with large Lithuanian communities.
