However, according to Dawn Breakers, the leader of the ruling majority, this decision was taken because of the oath of a Member of the Seimas, which was broken in the last term. He said, however, that what we should really be talking about is a political crackdown.
„This is a political decision because it is a political process. Since the former Director of the State Security Department made it clear in December-January that we would not give him a permit, even though there was no request, it is natural that it cannot be otherwise.
Without politics, there cannot be any decisions,“ Žemaitaitis told Elta, stressing that the Constitutional Court's (CC) finding against him in April last year was the only reason for the VSD's decision.
„It is very clearly written what the reason is – the decision of the Constitutional Court. There is no other reason“, the politician assured.
On the other hand, Žemaitaitis continued, the recent decision shows that politicians with different opinions are being repressed in Lithuania.
„This shows once again how politicians with different opinions are treated in Lithuania. And for words, not for actions. It will be an opportunity to show the nation and the public who is in charge of our law enforcement,“ said the Chairman of Nemuno Aušra.
Says work will not be harmed by the ban on working with classified information
However, one of the ruling majority leaders does not accept that he will not have access to classified information. According to the politician, this will not negatively affect him and his work.
„I do not hold any position that requires me to obtain that material. It makes no difference to me“, said Nemuno Aušra, a member.
Although he questions the decision and considers it a „political crackdown“, the parliamentarian does not intend to seek justice by appealing to the court. According to the politician who signed the coalition agreement, there is no point in doing so now.
„When the political conjuncture changes, when law enforcement is no longer dependent on politically corrupt officials – then something will be possible“, said the politician, who belongs to the ruling majority, adding that it is only a matter of time before things get back on track.
„It is a matter of time before all of this is pulled out when the KGB documents are made public when we know who protected which Head of State got what job. We will see many things. It is too early now, and justice will come later. We need to wait another two or three years. And justice will come during the elections“, Žemaitaitis concluded.
VSD conclusion: the characteristics and actions of a person have been identified as a threat to information security
At the time, the VSD replied to Elta that it had received Žemaitaitis's request and questionnaire on 27 February for permission to work with information marked Top Secret. The inspection aimed to determine whether the Member of the Seimas could be entrusted with classified information and whether the person being inspected was trustworthy and loyal to the Lithuanian State.
„The VSD conducted an inspection of the Member of the Seimas Žemaitaitis about the permission to work with classified information and established the circumstances specified in Article 17, paragraph 2, item 20 of the Law on State and Service Secrets, i.e., the person's qualities and actions were identified, which cause a threat to the security of the classified information entrusted to him,“ the VSD Strategic Communications Division stated in a written commentary.
„These circumstances give rise to reasonable doubts as to whether the person under scrutiny will properly protect the classified information entrusted to him or her, whether he or she will perform the duties of a person to whom a permit has been issued properly and conscientiously, and whether he or she will not violate the requirements set out in the legislation for the protection of classified information,“ the Department states.
The VSD also informed the Seimas of the findings, stating that it is not recommended that the parliamentarian be granted permission to work with material classified as Top Secret.
„The VSD has informed the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, the subject of secrets, that in the light of the circumstances established during the inspection (...), the VSD objects to the granting of a permit to the Member of the Seimas, Žemaitaitis, to work with or have access to classified information,“ the commentary states.
The former Head of the VSD, Darius Jauniškis, has said that the finding of the CC could be a reason to deny Žemaitaitis, who has broken his oath of office, permission to work with classified information.
In April 2024, the CC stated that Žemaitaitis had broken his oath as a Member of the Seimas by making anti-Semitic statements and had seriously violated the Constitution. Following the CC ruling, Žemaitaitis himself resigned from the Seimas but ran for re-election to the Seimas in the autumn and was re-elected.
Adviser to the President of the Seimas: if the recommendation is negative, permits are not issued
According to the law, the right to work with and access classified information is granted by the Head of the secrets entity – in this case, the Speaker of the Seimas – based on the assessment of the VSD.
„If the recommendation is negative, no permits are issued,“ Ramunė Muzikevičiūtė-Narmontienė, an Advisor to the Seimas Speaker Saulius Skvernelis, commented on the decision to Elta.
ELTA recalls that the debate on authorising members of the Seimas to work with classified information arose a few months ago when Skvernelis urged parliamentarians who doubted the decisions of the State Defence Council to have access to classified material. Later, he urged MPs requiring a higher classification clearance to apply to the Department for one.
According to the law, all Members of the Seimas who need access to classified information under the Restricted classification may have access to it in the exercise of their duties.
Information classified as Top Secret is accessible to the Board of the Seimas and Committee on National Security and Defence members. At the same time, material marked Secret may be handled by the Audit, Economic, European Affairs, Legal and Law Enforcement, and Foreign Affairs Committees, as well as by the Chairpersons and Deputy Chairpersons of the Budget and Finance Committee, the Anti-Corruption Committee, and the Energy and Sustainable Development Committee.