According to him, by listening to experts from various fields, the members of the commission aim to get the widest possible picture.
“First of all, we want to analyze the material on which the impeachment initiative is based and get a general understanding from as many different angles as possible – historical, human rights, legal and so on,” explained the MP.
It is intended to invite representatives of the General Prosecutor’s Office, historians, and lawyers to the meeting scheduled for next week. It is also promised to send requests to the Embassy of Israel in Lithuania and the Embassy of Lithuania in Israel.
After listening to the experts, R. Žemaitaitis, who belongs to the Mixed Group of Seimas members, will be invited to the commission meeting.
The decision on the formation of the impeachment commission was adopted by the Seimas this week with the votes of the ruling party, and it was also supported by six individual opposition politicians.
All opposition factions refused to delegate their members to the commission. In this way, only the representatives of the rulers will work in it.
The impeachment initiative states that R. Žemaitaitis’ public statements and posts on social networks are anti-Semitic and incite hatred.
“From the content of the statements of Seimas member R. Žemaitaitis and their systematic repetition, it can be concluded that these statements are characterized by constant incitement of hatred, promotion of anti-Semitic attitudes, creation of hostility, which is directly directed against one national minority – the Jewish nation and the State of Israel,” the document reads. .
In the assessment of those in power, such systematically repeated statements are aimed at promoting violence, hostility, justifying hatred against the entire Jewish people and provoking social and national discord, which is incompatible with the Constitution and the country’s interests in the field of international relations.
The text of the impeachment contains the following records of R. Žemaitaitis: “It turns out that without Putin, another animal appeared in the world – ISRAEL”; “We, the Lithuanian people, must never forget the Jews and Russians, who very actively contributed to the DESTRUCTION of our NATION!”, “Maybe next time Israel will drop a bomb on the Palestinian hospital, we blew it up because we were afraid that they would attack us I WANT TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE DEAR JEWS OF ISRAEL TO APOLOGIZE TO PALESTINE AND THE EU FOR YOUR DISGUSTING ACTIONS IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY And I will repeat “After such events, there is no wonder why such sayings are born: A Jew climbed a ladder and fell by accident. Children, take a stick and kill that Jew” and others.
The Attorney General’s Office has initiated pre-trial investigations into public contempt and incitement of hatred against any nation, race, ethnic, religious or other group of people.
R. Žemaitaitis claims that there is no basis for his impeachment, he does not consider his posts to be anti-Semitic, and he can support all statements with international documents or historical sources.
The impeachment commission hopes to submit its conclusion to the Seimas by October 10.
According to the statute of the Seimas, after examining all the circumstances, the commission must submit a proposal to the Seimas, whether or not there is a basis for starting the impeachment process.
If the commission determines that there is a basis for impeachment and the Seimas approves this conclusion, the parliamentarians will have to apply to the Constitutional Court to determine whether the parliamentarian grossly violated the Constitution or not.
If a violation is established, the resolution on revoking the mandate of a member of the Seimas is considered adopted if at least three fifths or at least 85 members of the Seimas voted for it.
This is the second impeachment initiated in the Seimas of this term. The parliamentarians have appealed to the Constitutional Court whether Seimas member Petras Gražulis did not break his oath and violate the Constitution by intentionally voting for another Seimas member.
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#interview #Žemaitaitis #impeachment #commission #decided #listen #experts
**Interview with Political Analyst Dr. Elena Šubėnienė on the Impeachment of R. Žemaitaitis**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Dr. Šubėnienė. The recent impeachment initiative against MP Remigijus Žemaitaitis has sparked controversy. Can you provide us with a brief overview of the situation?
**Dr. Šubėnienė:** Certainly. The Seimas, Lithuania’s parliament, has formed a commission to investigate potential grounds for the impeachment of Remigijus Žemaitaitis. This follows accusations that his public statements and social media posts are anti-Semitic and incite hatred towards the Jewish community. The ruling party, along with some opposition members, decided to move forward with the investigation despite the majority of opposition factions refusing to delegate representatives to the commission, which raises concerns regarding the investigative process’s impartiality.
**Interviewer:** The commission intends to consult various experts. Why is this approach significant?
**Dr. Šubėnienė:** Listening to experts from fields such as law, human rights, and history is crucial for gaining a comprehensive understanding of the implications of the statements made by Žemaitaitis. It allows for a multi-dimensional analysis of the situation. This is particularly important in cases where freedom of expression may conflict with hate speech. Gathering diverse perspectives helps ensure that the commission’s findings are well-informed and balanced.
**Interviewer:** The impeachment initiative suggests that Žemaitaitis’s statements promote violence and provoke social dissonance. How do these factors play a role in the commission’s work?
**Dr. Šubėnienė:** The commission will need to assess whether Žemaitaitis’s rhetoric indeed poses a threat to social harmony and reflects a breach of national laws concerning hate speech. If his statements are deemed to incite hatred or discrimination, this could be a serious violation not only of domestic laws but also of Lithuania’s commitments to international human rights standards. The outcome will depend heavily on the evidence and expert opinions presented.
**Interviewer:** How has Žemaitaitis responded to the allegations, and what are the potential implications for him?
**Dr. Šubėnienė:** Žemaitaitis has defended his statements, asserting that he does not see them as anti-Semitic and claims he can back them up with historical documents. If the impeachment commission concludes that there are grounds for impeachment, it could set a significant political precedent in Lithuania regarding hate speech and the limits of political discourse. Furthermore, it could impact Žemaitaitis’s political career and the broader discourse around nationalism and minority rights in the country.
**Interviewer:** Lastly, what might this incident reveal about the current political climate in Lithuania?
**Dr. Šubėnienė:** This incident highlights a growing tension in Lithuania surrounding issues of national identity, freedom of expression, and the rights of minorities. The responses not only from the ruling party but also from civil society will be telling of the direction Lithuania seeks to take regarding inclusivity and the handling of hate speech. It’s a pivotal moment for Lithuania’s democracy as it navigates these complex and sensitive issues.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Dr. Šubėnienė, for your insights into this significant political issue.
**Dr. Šubėnienė:** Thank you for having me.
