The faction also announced that it strongly condemns R. Žemaitaitis’ anti-Semitic rhetoric, spreading lies and constant statements that incite national discord.
“Nevertheless, we do not agree to participate in the attempts of those in power to organize an impeachment, because the result would be the opposite – we would not solve the problem that way, and R. Žemaitaitis would get an additional tribune to spread discord,” said Saulius Skvernelis, an elder of the Democratic faction, in a statement.
According to him, the actions of R. Žemaitaitis should be assessed by law enforcement, and only after that it would be clear whether there is a basis for impeachment.
“We have an investigation conducted by the General Prosecutor’s Office, but without any procedural decisions, and we do not have the conclusion of any other legal institution, as a result, even a person like Mr. Žemaitaitis, whose statements really go beyond ethics, decency, are strongly condemned, what our party and faction is doing, legal procedures must be maintained even in relation to him,” S. Skvernelis told reporters in the Seimas on Tuesday.
According to him, now that the impeachment is held, R. Žemaitaitis’ popularity in the society can only increase.
“The hasty action taken by those in power simply creates a new “victim” of politics in Lithuania, and that “victim” of politics will use this process for its further actions. Basically, another radical party can be born by the hands of those in power, which will be brought to the Seimas”, asserted the leader of the Democrats.
On Tuesday, the Seimas will decide on the establishment of a temporary Seimas commission to investigate whether there are grounds to start impeachment against R. Žemaitaič.
According to the project, the commission should present such a conclusion by December 1 of this year. Representatives of all factions of the Seimas should work in it.
Last week, the authorities collected 36 signatures to impeach this MP for making anti-Semitic remarks.
“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 continuous 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 indictment reads. in the text.
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 records of R. Žemaitaitis, such as: “It turns out that without Putin, other animals 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!” 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.
According to the statute of the Seimas, after the impeachment initiative is announced in the Seimas, a special investigation commission must be formed to investigate the validity of the proposals to initiate impeachment proceedings and prepare a conclusion on the grounds for initiating impeachment proceedings. After examining all the circumstances, the commission will make a proposal as to whether or not there is a basis to initiate impeachment proceedings.
After the Seimas approves the conclusion that there are grounds for impeachment, it should apply to the Constitutional Court to determine whether the parliamentarian violated the Constitution and broke the oath 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.
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’));
#Democrats #promise #participate #impeachment #process #Žemaitaitis
**Interview with Saulius Skvernelis, Leader of the Democratic Faction in the Seimas**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us, Mr. Skvernelis. Recently, there’s been significant controversy surrounding Remigius Žemaitaitis’ anti-Semitic remarks and the potential for impeachment. Can you elaborate on your faction’s position regarding this situation?
**Saulius Skvernelis:** Thank you for having me. Our faction strongly condemns the anti-Semitic rhetoric and the divisive statements made by Mr. Žemaitaitis. It’s crucial to stand against any form of hatred that targets specific communities within our nation.
**Interviewer:** Your faction appears to oppose the impeachment process. Can you explain the reasoning behind this stance?
**Saulius Skvernelis:** Yes, we believe that pursuing impeachment at this stage would not effectively address the issue at hand. Instead, it might inadvertently enhance his profile as a victim of political persecution, potentially increasing his popularity. This does not resolve the problem but rather exacerbates it by providing him with a platform to spread discord.
**Interviewer:** You mentioned the need for legal proceedings. What steps do you believe should be taken next?
**Saulius Skvernelis:** The actions of Mr. Žemaitaitis should be thoroughly assessed by law enforcement. Currently, there is an investigation by the General Prosecutor’s Office. We must wait for their conclusions before any political action, such as impeachment, is considered. Adhering to legal protocols is paramount, even in the case of such contemptible statements.
**Interviewer:** Some have expressed concern that the ongoing controversy could lead to the emergence of a more radical political movement. What is your view on this?
**Saulius Skvernelis:** I share this concern. By framing Mr. Žemaitaitis as a political victim, we risk galvanizing a segment of society that feels marginalized. This could inadvertently pave the way for more radical, divisive parties to gain traction in Lithuania, which is something we must all be cautious about.
**Interviewer:** what message do you have for the public regarding this issue?
**Saulius Skvernelis:** I urge everyone to stand united against hate speech and divisive rhetoric. It’s essential that we engage in constructive dialogue that promotes understanding and respect among all communities in Lithuania. Let’s focus on healing and bringing people together rather than creating further divisions.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Mr. Skvernelis, for sharing your insights on this important matter.
**Saulius Skvernelis:** Thank you for having me.