In October 2022, our colleague, "Siena" journalist Šarūnas Černiauskas published information about the at that time non-disclosed links of the director of the Press, Radio, and Television Support Fund, Gintaras Songaila, with the party of Petras Gražulis, the "People and Justice Union (Centrists, Nationalists)". Šarūnas also drew attention to the annual funding provided by the Fund to the public institutions "Tėviškės alkas" and "Lietuvos aidas".

These organizations, as "Siena" found out, do not submit financial reports to the Centre of Registers and provide a platform for people spreading lies and hatred, such as Erika Švenčionienė, who has been suspected by the law-enforcement agencies of helping another country to act against Lithuania, or Antanas Kandrotas-Celofanas, who has been convicted of financial crimes and defamation.
When we found this out, we decided to end our project funded by the Fund and pay back the remaining amount - €3,700 in total. We gave the Fund the reason for canceling the project as "the Fund's inconsistent public position".

The Press, Radio, and Television Support Fund is Lithuania's main media support fund, partly funding major portals, regional radio stations, and cultural publications with taxpayers' money. We hope that transparency will be brought by the planned reform of the Fund - the Media Support Fund, which is being created on the initiative of the Ministry of Culture and is expected to replace the Press, Radio, and Television Support Fund in May. While we are waiting for it, the "Tėviškės alkas" and "Lietuvos aidas" have again received new funding for their activities. Change is needed now, not just in five months' time.

While we are still stuck in this situation, we invite you to support the Lithuanian media organizations whose work you value. This will help them and us secure funding and continue our work, which aligns with ethical media values.

We have elaborated on our decision on our Facebook page.