„I simply see this special connection between the Prime Minister and the leader of Nemuno Aušra. It's a very special connection. And I don't know what this special connection is based on,“ Skvernelis told Žinių Radijas on Wednesday.
„It has been very evident since the beginning of the coalition. Since the very beginning,“ he emphasised.
„Perhaps it is simply a case of mutual human sympathy,“ the politician speculated, pointing out that Paluckas always defends Žemaitaitis from criticism.
Skvernelis commented in response to the Prime Minister's position on the State Security Department's (VSD) conclusion regarding Žemaitaitis. As reported by ELTA, the intelligence service opposed permitting the Chairman of Nemuno Aušra to work with classified information. During the investigation, the VSD found that specific characteristics and actions of the parliamentarian could threaten the security of classified information entrusted to him.
For his part, Paluckas questioned the VSD's assessment, stating that the state should not be „governed by grades.“
Skvernelis emphasised that a politician holding the office of Prime Minister should not give the impression that he does not trust state institutions. In addition, the politician stressed that he had not heard any compelling arguments from the Prime Minister about why the security assessment should be disregarded.
„These are complicated motives to understand. Honestly, I don't even hear any motives,“ Skvernelis said.
„Once again, they are using that hackneyed phrase to discredit state institutions, which conspiracy theorists use all the time – that grades rule the state. Well, excuse me, but these are not the words of a politician of this calibre,“ the Speaker of the Seimas did not spare the Prime Minister from criticism.
According to ELTA, based on the conclusions of the State Security Department, Seimas Speaker Skvernelis did not grant Žemaitaitis permission to work with classified information. The Speaker of Parliament signed the order on Tuesday afternoon.
Skvernelis also intends to initiate changes in the Seimas delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, as its members require permission to work with information marked „Secret.“ According to the Seimas speaker, Żemaitaitis cannot remain a delegation member without this permission.
After the vote on Dudėnas, the ruling parties are no longer bound by any point of the coalition agreement.
Skvernelis did not spare criticism of his coalition partners for Tuesday's failed vote in the Seimas when parliament decided not to revoke the legal immunity of Social Democrat Arūnas Dudėnas.
During the vote on Dudėnas, most Social Democrats and members of the Nemuno Aušra party left the plenary session hall or did not participate in the ballot. Skvernelis then stated that one of the points of the coalition agreement had been violated.
The centre-left coalition stipulated in its agreement that „any member of the coalition whose immunity is sought by the Prosecutor General's Office shall immediately make a public statement at a Seimas session that he agrees to his immunity being waived without the formation of an investigative commission (...)“.
The board of Vardan Lietuvos plans to discuss the situation on Wednesday evening.
„We will not issue ultimatums. When we signed the agreement (of the coalition – ELTA), we discussed and established that there are formats for the coalition council, which are agreed upon. If it is believed that the agreement is not being complied with, there is also a procedure and a deadline, and a coordination group is formed. Perhaps we need to amend the agreement?“ the Democratic leader asked rhetorically.
„Today, the situation is such that we are essentially not bound by any agreement clause. We are free to act as we see fit because our colleagues have explained that members of the Seimas can vote as they wish – we cannot force our faction members to vote one way or another when the Paluckas government is considering important bills. We will not twist anyone's arms,“ he summarised.
Therefore, with the majority divided on the situations of both Žemaitaitis and Dudėnas, Skvernelis noted that Vardan Lietuvos has different coalition partners.
ELTA reminds us that on Tuesday, there were not enough votes in the Seimas to lift the legal immunity of Social Democrat Dudėnas, who was embroiled in the „cheque scandal.“ Only 69 MPs took part in the vote, while at least 71 votes are needed for a member of parliament to be held criminally liable.
Thirty Social Democrats did not participate in the vote, along with 16 representatives of the ruling majority Nemuno Aušra, as well as 11 members of the Lithuanian Peasant, Green and Christian Families Union faction, seven Conservatives, two democrats from Vardan Lietuvos, one Liberal and one member of the Mixed Group of Members of the Seimas. Members of the Seimas opposition, Seimas Speaker Saulius Skvernelis, and President Gitanas Nausėda sharply criticised this situation.
„To say that I am ashamed of this decision by the Seimas would be an understatement—I am humiliated. The Seimas will now have to live with this mark of shame,“ Nausėda said in a statement released Tuesday.
Skvernelis: Žemaitaitis is currently the only member of parliament who has not been granted access to classified information
Seimas Speaker Saulius Skvernelis says that Remigijus Žemaitaitis, leader of the Nemuno Aušra party, is the only member of the current Seimas who has received a negative conclusion from the State Security Department (VSD) regarding permission to work with classified information.
„So far, this is the only case where our colleague Žemaitaitis has received such a conclusion,“ Skvernelis said on Žinių Radijas on Wednesday, adding that six other members of parliament are currently being investigated.
„Most of the members of the Seimas who applied (for permission – ELTA) have already received it. I think there are about 85 members of the Seimas who have it. To be completely accurate, the procedure is still ongoing for six members, as they submitted their requests at different times,“ added the Chairman of the Vardan Lietuvos party.
As reported by ELTA, Seimas Chairman Skvernelis did not permit Žemaitaitis to work with classified information. The parliamentary leader signed the order to that effect on Tuesday afternoon.
Last week, the State Security Department (VSD) submitted its conclusion to the Speaker of the Seimas, opposing the granting of permission to Žemaitaitis to work with classified information. During the investigation, the VSD found that specific characteristics and actions of the parliamentarian could threaten the security of classified information entrusted to him.
As provided by law, the right to work with and access classified information is granted by the Head of the Secret Service, in this case, the Speaker of the Seimas.
Last week, Žemaitaitis told ELTA that he did not consider it significant that he would not have access to classified information. According to one of the leaders of the ruling majority, this will not have any negative consequences for his work.
Assessing the growing initiatives to remove him from the delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Žemaitaitis echoed Prime Minister Paluckas. They stated that the state should not be „governed by grades.“