The State Security Department (VSD), Lithuania’s main intelligence agency, said Thursday it had recommended against granting MP Remigijus Žemaitaitis, leader of the Nemunas Dawn party that is part of the ruling coalition, clearance to access information classified as top secret. The parliament speaker said he would heed the advice.
“The VSD opposes granting MP Žemaitaitis clearance to work with or have access to classified information,” the department told BNS.
After conducting a background check, the intelligence agency believes the Nemunas Dawn leader could “pose a threat to the security of entrusted classified information”.
“These circumstances give rise to reasonable doubts about whether the classified information entrusted to the person under review would be adequately protected, whether he would fulfil the duties of a cleared individual properly and honestly, and whether he would comply with legal requirements for the protection of classified information,” the VSD told BNS.
The parliament, Seimas, has been notified of the decision.
Seimas Speaker Skvernelis said he would follow the VSD recommendation.
“If the recommendation is negative, clearance will not be granted,” his adviser Ramunė Muzikevičiūtė-Narmontienė told BNS on Thursday.
The VSD’s recommendation is based on the decision of the Constitutional Court, which ruled that the politician had broken his oath.
According to the intelligence report submitted to the Seimas speaker on Tuesday and seen by BNS, a person who has lost the confidence of the state cannot be granted the right to work or have access to secret information.
“In the light of the Constitutional Court’s conclusion that MP Žemaitaitis has grossly violated the Constitution and broken his oath of office, and has disregarded the requirements of his constitutional status as a Member of the Seimas to respect and obey the Constitution and the law, the state cannot unconditionally trust such a person,” the VSD report states.
The Constitutional Court gave its ruling last year after the parliament decided to impeach Žemaitaitis over his statements on social media criticising Israel and saying Jews were responsible for Soviet repressions against Lithuanians. The court decided that his statements represented hate speech.
Following the ruling, Žemaitaitis resigned from the parliament, but was re-elected in October.
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