“In this case, the discussion in the party and faction has been started regarding his fate, regarding the evaluation of the whole situation. When there are decisions, we will make them public,” V. Benkunskas told BNS on Thursday.
He added that he believes that A.Skaistis’s statements are incorrect and do not reflect the position of either the conservative faction in the Vilnius Council or the party.
“This is his personal problem, probably, not knowing how to communicate and not knowing how to choose words and then having to apologize for them,” said the mayor.
Last week, after sharing a critical position on the Facebook social network regarding Andrias Navickos, the head of the trade union of Lithuanian education workers, who is organizing a teachers‘ strike, A. Skaistys later engaged in a discussion with teacher Jolanta Bizaite, also a member of TS-LKD. Her party colleague reacted to her arguments with such statements as “broilers rule”.
“When you cry, you will only create a state of whiners and whiners, which we have no right to call Lithuania. We – civil servants – create Lithuania in our own image. And keep your gossip about funds from the sock to yourself and, God forbid, to your students”, declared A.Skaistys.
A. Skaistys is currently a member of the Education Affairs Committee of the municipal council.
Last Friday, A.Skaistys deleted his post and published an apology. The party also issued an apology for the party member’s rhetoric.
The Supervisory Committee of TS-LKD announced on Tuesday that it intends to consider the behavior of A.Skaistis after his comments.
On Wednesday, A. Skaistė’s wife, Finance Minister Gintarė Skaistė, did not comment on her husband’s actions to BNS.
The trade union of Lithuanian education workers headed by Andriaus Navickos intends to hold a real strike at the end of September regarding teachers’ salaries and other working conditions.
The Lithuanian Education and Science Trade Union led by Egidijus Milešinas also raises demands regarding teachers’ salaries, the number of students in classes and other matters. She also does not rule out the possibility of a strike.
Next year, the government intends to raise teachers’ salaries in two stages – from January and from September, so that they reach 130%. the size of the country’s average salary, but the representatives of the pedagogues promising to strike want a more significant salary increase already in January.
On Tuesday, the Minister of Education, Science and Sports Gintautas Jakštas did not receive support for the proposal to raise salaries by 20.5 percent in the negotiations with the trade unions: from January – 6 percent, and to add the rest in September. Negotiations on this will continue on Friday.
window.fbAsyncInit = function() {
FB.init({
appId: ‘117218911630016’,
version: ‘v2.10’,
status: true,
cookie: false,
xfbml: true
});
};
(function(d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) {
return;
}
js = d.createElement(s);
js.id = id;
js.src = “https://connect.facebook.net/lt_LT/sdk.js”;
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’));
#Mayor #Vilnius #party #discuss #fate #A.Skaistis #unethical #words #teachers
**Interview with V. Benkunskas, Mayor of Vilnius***
**Interviewer**: Thank you for joining us, Mayor Benkunskas. There’s been significant discussion regarding the recent comments made by A. Skaistys. Can you share your thoughts on the situation?
**V. Benkunskas**: Thank you for having me. Indeed, this has been a topic of intense discussion within our party. I believe that A. Skaistys’s statements were incorrect and do not reflect the views of the conservative faction in the Vilnius Council or the party at large.
**Interviewer**: Can you elaborate on what you believe went wrong in his communication?
**V. Benkunskas**: Certainly. I think this reflects a personal issue for A. Skaistys. It seems he struggled with how to communicate his thoughts appropriately. The language he used was not only inappropriate, but it also prompted a necessary apology—both from him and from the party.
**Interviewer**: What actions does the TS-LKD party plan to take in response to his comments?
**V. Benkunskas**: The Supervisory Committee of TS-LKD is currently reviewing this matter. They will evaluate his behavior in light of his comments on social media. Once a decision is reached, we will ensure it is made public.
**Interviewer**: A. Skaistys was discussing the ongoing teachers’ strike and made some controversial remarks. Do you believe his words have affected the party’s relationship with educators?
**V. Benkunskas**: Absolutely. His comments were not only unprofessional, but they undermined the hard work and dedication of educators in our community. This kind of rhetoric can damage relationships, and it is something we take very seriously.
**Interviewer**: And lastly, A. Skaistys’s wife, Finance Minister Gintarė Skaistė, has not commented on the incident. Do you think her silence is significant?
**V. Benkunskas**: It is hard to speculate on personal matters. However, I believe her focus may be on her duties as Finance Minister. Ultimately, individual family dynamics shouldn’t overshadow the responsibility that A. Skaistys has as a public figure.
**Interviewer**: Thank you, Mayor Benkunskas, for your insights on this issue.
**V. Benkunskas**: Thank you for having me. It’s vital we address these issues transparently.
