Monika Garbačiauskaitė-Budrienė
PRIX EUROPA President
Director General of the Lithuanian National Radio and Television - LRT
The PRIX EUROPA 2026 Festival brings together Europe’s public service media community at a defining moment for Europe. A moment when our democratic foundations are coming under the most severe test from outside and from within.
There is clear evidence that strong, independent public service media are critical to the functioning of a healthy democracy.
The underlying principle of liberal democracy is that shared challenges should be addressed collectively and in a spirit of solidarity. That is why in critical times for democracy we need a shared public space, an agora, where diverse ideas can be voiced, heard and debated; a space of shared experience that does not divide societies into ‘us’ and ‘them’, but instead opens the way to empathy, dialogue and common purpose.
We need independent public service media to provide unhindered, universal access to trusted news that is not mediated by algorithmic choices, systems and AI.
We need public service journalism that holds power to account and gives citizens the context they need to make informed choices and not to give up on democratic values.
This is why we also must protect media freedom and independent public service media if democracies are to survive.
PRIX EUROPA reminds us that this democratic mission is also profoundly creative. Every programme, investigation, documentary, digital project and story presented here contributes to a Europe that is better informed, connected and resilient.
Thank you for being here, for sharing your work, and for standing together for democracy and for public service media.
Monika Garbačiauskaitė-Budrienė
PRIX EUROPA President
Director General of the Lithuanian National Radio and Television - LRT