Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said on Tuesday it is “a shame” that the new ruling coalition’s start has been overshadowed by Nemunas Dawn’s threats to pull out of the bloc.
“It’s a shame this ruling coalition is starting with ultimatums,” the president told BNS during his visit to Tallinn. “I’ve already said that inviting Nemunas Dawn into the coalition was a mistake.”
“Now we see more and more examples of demands and certain whims being expressed. If this does not stop, it will be very difficult for the government to start functioning properly,” he added.
Žemaitaitis said earlier on Tuesday that Nemunas Dawn is considering leaving the ruling bloc because its coalition partners are not adhering to the agreement signed in November.
According to the politician, Nemunas Dawn was humiliated during the formation of the government and his bid for a deputy speaker post has been blocked, even though the coalition agreement gives his party two deputy speaker positions.
Nausėda urged Nemunas Dawn to “return to normal dialogue, refrain from its excessive ambitions, and work in a way that shows people they made the right decision” by voting for the party.
“I invite Nemunas Dawn to take on the political responsibility granted to them by a significant portion of the Lithuanian people. I don’t believe Nemunas Dawn’s voters wanted scandals on the political stage; they wanted normal work,” the president said.
Agnė Širinskienė has already filled one of Nemunas Dawn’s two deputy speaker positions and Žemaitaitis is seeking the second one.
However, Seimas Speaker Saulius Skvernelis said that Žemaitaitis will not be nominated for the second deputy speaker post without a court ruling in the criminal case, as this is the only way to “resolve the legal problems”.
Nausėda also said that Žemaitaitis’ legal troubles are too significant for him to serve in the Seimas leadership.
“It would be more prudent for him to refrain, for now, from seeking the deputy speaker position, resolve the legal issues around him, and then, if everything is in order, seek the post without stirring unnecessary tensions,” the president said.
Žemaitaitis told BNS on Monday that he may seek to take the second deputy speaker position during the Seimas’ current fall session, claiming that his legal problems were resolved after the parliament lifted his legal immunity to allow the Vilnius Regional Court to continue hearing his criminal case for inciting hatred against Jews.
Earlier this year, the Constitutional Court ruled that Žemaitaitis broke his oath as an MP and grossly violated the constitution by making anti-Semitic statements. However, he avoided impeachment by resigning from his Seimas seat. He was re-elected to the parliament in October.
In November, prosecutors launched a pre-trial investigation into possible incitement of hatred after Žemaitaitis called on people to gather and light candles outside the home of Vytautas Landsbergis, honorary chairman of the conservative Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats, and into allegations of defaming former Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė.
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