15min reminds that this week the Seimas made up a temporary commission of inquiry, which will investigate whether there are grounds to start impeachment against R. Žemaitaič for his anti-Semitic statements.
It is true that the opposition massively ignored the vote on the creation of this commission and did not participate in it.
70 parliamentarians voted for the creation of the commission, of which only six were representatives of the opposition: social democrats Algirdas Sysas, Dovilė Šakalienė and Julius Sabatauskas and democrats Rima Baškienė, Tomas Tomilinas and Linas Kukuraitis.
“The opposition is behaving quite strangely”
Mykolas Romeris University (MRU) political scientist Rima Urbonaitė 15min said that some of the statements of the opposition, why they refuse to participate in the initiative for the impeachment of R. Žemaitaič, were strange.
“It is quite strange for me to hear some statements by members of the opposition, for example, that the impeachment could increase the popularity of R. Žemaitaitis, because it seems to me that if we look at it that way, then maybe there is no need to organize impeachment at all,” said the political expert.
“I think this argument does not stand up to criticism,” she added.
According to her, the arguments that say that the behavior of R. Žemaitaitis should be investigated by the “relevant institutions” are also strange.
“I would like to remind the politicians that whether the oath has been broken or not, the Constitutional Court investigates and accepts the conclusions. In order for this to appear in the Constitutional Court, the Seimas must do its job. Why is it considered that the Seimas does not have to do anything in this case? To be honest, I don’t even know”, said R. Urbonaitė.
According to her, “the opposition is behaving quite strangely” and this behavior shows that there is a “complete misunderstanding”.
Elections more important than the state interest?
Ramūnas Vilpišauskas, a political scientist at Vilnius University’s Institute of International Relations and Political Sciences (VU TSPMI), is convinced that the opposition simply does not want to have common affairs with those in power.
“From what the opposition representatives say in public, one gets the impression that it is more important for them not to support in principle what the ruling party is proposing. It’s just that different representatives of the opposition, belonging to different factions, have given different interpretations, but they are united by the fact that they simply do not want to participate in joint initiatives with those in power.” 15min said R. Vilpišauskas.
Žygimantos Gedvilas/BNS photo/Ramūnas Vilpišauskas
According to him, “at the level of principles and thinking about the reputation of the state”, the Seimas should be more united.
“From this point of view, one could expect united action in the Seimas, regardless of whether the faction is among the ruling party or among the opposition,” said the political scientist.
“But it seems that thinking about the upcoming elections and thinking that it is more politically beneficial to act differently than those in power are proposing is more important than thinking about the national interest,” he added.
According to VU TSPMI political expert, opposition representatives think about their voters with such behavior, but they should assess whether such behavior does not harm the reputation of Lithuania and the values specified in the Constitution.
“Who will protect society from R. Žemaitaitis?”
According to MRU political scientist R. Urbonaitė, everyone knows very well what R. Žemaitaitis’ statements were.
“I even had this question – who will protect the public from R. Žemaitaitis?” The members of the Seimas and the opposition do not seem to want to do this,” said the political expert.
She emphasized that she believes that the opposition’s behavior also shows that it shirks responsibility or shifts it to the prosecutor’s office or other institutions.
“Today, it seems that ethics is viewed as something of an afterlife, which is no longer very important in politics. And even such things as statements about Jews, statements that were shocking, it seems that the Seimas are not very excited,” R. Urbonaitė reflected.
I even had the following question – who will protect the public from R. Žemaitaitis? Members of the Seimas and the opposition do not seem to want to do this.
The impeachment commission should present its conclusion by December 1.
15min reminds that research The General Prosecutor’s Office has been initiated due to the statements of R. Žemaitaitis.
The politician himself claims that there is no basis for the impeachment, and that the recordings were not anti-Semitic.
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#Political #scientists #assessed #impeachment #vote #protect #society #Žemaitaitis
**Interviewer:** Welcome to our show, Rima Urbonaitė, political scientist at Mykolas Romeris University. We’re discussing a significant political event in Lithuania where the Seimas has established a temporary commission to investigate possible impeachment against parliament member R. Žemaitaitis for his anti-Semitic remarks. Can you share your thoughts on the implications of this decision?
**Rima Urbonaitė:** Thank you for having me. The establishment of the commission is a crucial step. It highlights serious concerns regarding statements made by R. Žemaitaitis that could undermine the principles within our Constitution. There’s a strong need for accountability in our political landscape.
**Interviewer:** The opposition chose not to participate in the vote for this commission, which is quite intriguing. What do you think is driving their reluctance?
**Rima Urbonaitė:** It’s certainly perplexing. Some opposition members believe that engaging in impeachment proceedings may inadvertently boost Žemaitaitis’ popularity. However, this line of reasoning feels inconsistent to me. If that’s their concern, then it poses the question of whether we should allow issues like this to be ignored simply due to political strategy.
**Interviewer:** You mentioned that there seems to be a misunderstanding among the opposition. Could you elaborate on that?
**Rima Urbonaitė:** Yes, many opposition figures argue that the matter should be handled by “relevant institutions,” suggesting that the Seimas should not act. However, it is the Seimas’s responsibility to initiate investigations that could lead to impeachment. Their behavior signals a disconnection from the fundamental duties of parliamentary representatives.
**Interviewer:** Ramūnas Vilpišauskas, another political analyst, suggests that the opposition is primarily focused on their electoral strategies rather than upholding state integrity. Do you agree with this assessment?
**Rima Urbonaitė:** Absolutely. The opposition’s actions imply an prioritization of their party’s electoral prospects over addressing serious concerns regarding statements made by their peers. This is not just about political maneuvering; it’s about the reputation of Lithuania and our commitment to constitutional values. Their voters deserve better consideration.
**Interviewer:** in light of the current situation, who do you think should be taking the lead in protecting society from inflammatory rhetoric like that of R. Žemaitaitis?
**Rima Urbonaitė:** It falls to both the Seimas members and the political opposition to ensure that harmful rhetoric is addressed. Ignoring these issues simply shifts the responsibility elsewhere, which, I believe, neglects their duty as public servants to safeguard our community’s values and integrity.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Rima, for sharing your insights on this pressing issue in Lithuanian politics. It’s a complex situation that will certainly require further attention as it unfolds.
