After Parliament Speaker Saulius Skvernelis said that there is a “fifth column” of Russia sympathisers in the Lithuanian parliament, Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas says such accusations are unfounded and only sow division.
“One should be more careful with words,” the prime minister said on LRT’s Topic of the Day programme on Thursday.
Skvernelis, who is the leader of the Democrats “For Lithuania” party, made the statement after a group of MPs from the Nemunas Dawn party – which is part of the ruling coalition – opposed or abstained in a vote on a proposal to extend national sanctions on Russia and Belarus for another year. They later claimed they specifically objected to a ban on agricultural imports. The proposal still passed the first reading.
“There is a certain ‘fifth column’ forming in the Seimas, we are seeing this based on their votes,” Skvernelis commented on LRT TV on Tuesday night.
PM Paluckas, however, says there is no “fifth column” – meaning a group intentionally working against the national interest – in the Seimas.
“All those who have the right to access classified information have surely read those certificates, which clearly state that Lithuanian society is extremely resistant to attempts by hostile states to sow discord, to recruit certain persons who wish ill for the state or who carry out acts of sabotage,” the prime minister said.
“And what is more, I can say that there is not a single current member of the parliament who has been recorded as having any risky or questionable links with any foreign special services or foreign political organisations,” he added.
He said that he understood that various “instruments to promote competition” could be used in politics, but that Skvernelis’ statements lead to “a certain division and polarisation”.
“To tell you the truth, I have not heard a single speaker say that about the parliament they lead,” said Paluckas.
Valius Ąžuolas, a politician from the opposition group of the Farmers, Greens and Christian Families, addressed the ethics watchdogs about Skvernelis’ statements.
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