The Lithuanian news portal „Bernardinai“ is facing a critical financial situation and has made a public appeal for help, stating that it needs to raise at least 20,000 euros within the week. The director, J. Ruzgys, emphasized the urgency of this situation, as the funds are necessary to pay taxes to the state and to compensate authors and collaborators. He posed an open question on social media about the portal's future, suggesting that the decision to continue, change radically, or even shut down lies in the hands of the public and supporters of the platform.

The financial difficulties stem from delayed decisions regarding funding from the Media Support Fund, which have impacted the portal’s operations. Ruzgys explained that a 'perfect storm' of various factors contributed to this crisis, including delays from multiple institutions and perhaps even his own management of the operational, marketing, sales, and technical aspects of „Bernardinai“. The Media Support Fund's promise to provide decisions regarding projects has not materialized within the expected time frame, further exacerbating the financial strain on the news portal.

The situation highlights the vulnerability of independent media outlets in Lithuania, especially those dependent on state funding and external contributions. As the portal seeks to maintain its operations, it raises broader questions about the sustainability of media outlets in an increasingly challenging financial environment, where timely funding decisions can have immediate consequences on journalism and independent reporting.