The State safety Department (VSD), a major Lithuanian intelligence agency, has announced that it has recommended that associate Remigijus Žemaitaitis, leader of the ‘German Dawn’ party, which is part of the ruling coalition, be given access to information classified as top secret.
"VSD opposes the granting of a work licence to Žemaitaitis with classified information or access to it," informed VSD. Following an audit of the Member's past, the intelligence agency considers that the leader of the ‘Swid Niemna’ may ‘danger the safety of classified information entrusted’.
"These circumstances give emergence to reasonable doubts as to whether the classified information entrusted to the individual under control will be adequately protected, whether it will decently and reasonably fulfil the duties of the authorised individual and whether it will comply with the legal requirements concerning the protection of classified information", stressed the VSD. The Lithuanian parliament was notified of the decision, and its president Saulius Skvernelis said he would follow the VSD recommendation.
"If the advice is negative, no consent will be given," said Skvernelis' advisor Ramunė Muzekevičiūtė-Narmontienė. The VSD advice is based on a Constitutional Court decision that ruled that the politician had broken his oath.
"In the light of the Constitutional Court's opinion that Žemaitaitis has grossly violated the Constitution and violated his oath and disregarded the requirements of his constitutional position as associate of the Sejm as regards respect and respect for the Constitution and law, the State cannot unconditionally trust that person," states the VSD report. The Constitutional Court issued a ruling last year after Parliament decided on the impeachment of Žemaitaitis for his statements on social media criticizing Israel and claiming that Jews were liable for russian repression of Lithuanians. The court found his speech to be hatred speech. After the ruling, Žemaitaitis resigned from the parliament, but became again an MP in October.
Source: LRT.lt
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