„The disclosure of names is a breach of confidentiality, a breach of the law. According to the law, the VSD is obliged to launch an investigation into the disclosure of an official secret,“ Januška posted on Facebook on Thursday, referring to the Lithuanian Diplomatic Service Act.
„Or, if it's not a secret, from now on, everyone is free to talk about candidates and names, to discuss them in public, because the President has set a precedent“, he added.
On Thursday, Nausėda told the news portal tv3 that diplomats Petras Zapolskas and Kęstutis Kudzmanas had participated in the competition for the ambassadorship in Poland. Mr Januška wondered why the President had done this.
„It is difficult to say for what purpose the President announced these names of professional diplomats as candidates for ambassadors to Poland – whether it is an example, proof that these candidates do not speak Polish well enough, or for some other reason,“ the signatory wrote.
ELTA recalls that the Presidency and the ruling party have been arguing since last week about who is to blame because the embassy in Poland, which is strategically important for Lithuania, does not have an ambassador. Foreign Minister Landsbergis says he does not have an answer why the Lithuanian embassy in Poland has been without an ambassador for four months. The leader of the country's diplomacy says he has submitted at least two ambassadorial nominations to the President, which were rejected.
For its part, the Presidency explained that the candidate proposed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (URM) for the post of ambassador did not speak Polish. The Head of State also pointed out that the Ministry was politicising the appointment of an ambassador to Poland and was trying to patronise certain nominees for the post.
On Wednesday, during a meeting of the Seimas's Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Minister outlined the sequence of events in the selection process for the post of Ambassador to Poland. He said the search started in August 2022, but the process stalled after the names were submitted to the President. Mr Landsbergis noted that two competitions were held for the embassy in Warsaw. In addition, Mr Nausėda had also put forward his candidates, but, according to the Minister, they were not suitable.
When the President criticised the Foreign Minister for allegedly politicising the process of appointing ambassadors, Nausėda was also accused in the public sphere. The President's office was criticised for using unclear and illogical criteria to reject and delay the appointment of the head of a strategically important embassy in Poland.
Albinas Januška, a signatory of the 11 March Act, also criticised the Head of State. He argued that the President's stance was deepening the conflict between institutions. The signatory also criticised the leaking to the media of the names of seven ambassadors from the Government to the President for coordination. Finally, he did not hide his suspicion that G. Nausėda, having rejected the candidacy of Ambassador Giedrius Puodžiūnas, was „persistently pushing his candidate“.
In response to such statements, Frederikas Jansonas, the President's Senior Adviser, said that the so-called „statesmen“ clan was trying to take over essential positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the diplomatic service.
The Lithuanian ambassador to Poland, Eduardas Borisovas, was recalled on September 7 at the end of his term of office.
