§ Article 50Conditions and Procedure for the Use of the Mass Media

1. Parties that have submitted lists of candidates for elections shall be granted the right to use national mass media free of charge. The Lithuanian national radio and television shall prepare and broadcast programmes intended for campaigning from the funds allocated in the budget. The Central Electoral Committee shall cover additional expenses related to broadcasting of such programmes. The rules for preparing programs for campaigning shall be approved and the actual duration and time of the Lithuanian national radio and television programmes shall be established by the Central Electoral Committee upon agreement with the heads of the Lithuanian national radio and television. The Central Electoral Committee shall allocate the time of the programs distributing it in such a manner that the principle of equality of the lists of candidates is preserved. Each list of candidates shall be allocated no less than one hour of the national radio debates and one hour of national television debates with the representatives of any other list of candidates or other lists of candidates. Groups (2 and more) of representatives of the lists of candidates, participating in debates, shall be composed by mutual agreement, and in cases of disagreement, by drawing lots.
2. The Central Electoral Committee shall publish the election programme of a list of candidates within 20 days after its submission. The Central Electoral Committee shall establish the procedure for publishing election programmes.
3. Campaigning in the commercial mass media shall be restricted only by the maximum permitted size set by special election accounts.
4. All disputes concerning the campaigning shall be settled by the Central Electoral Committee in compliance with this Law.