#Žemaitaitis #presidential #elections #show #Lithuania #Constitution #Respublika.lt
“The purpose of the presidential elections is to show that Lithuania has a Constitution and that it must be followed,” says the politician who resigned from the Seimas after the interpretation of the Constitutional Court.
The chairman of the “Nemunas Aušra” party, who broke his oath as a member of the Seimas due to his remarks about Jews, says that he does not regret the incident at all.
“I have absolutely no regrets. I continue to write and post videos,” said R. Žemaitaitis to Eltai, not defending himself at all from the insulting epithets he gave to US President Joe Biden.
According to him, the fact that the expressed unethical references fell on the leader of a state of vital importance to Lithuania is no problem.
“That’s what I call him Bottle. It is absolute Bins“, says R. Žemaitaitis, explaining that his position was determined by the recent US policy.
“I value the American president the way he values our region,” said the politician, however, noting that he considers the United States to be a strategically very important partner.
If, however, he were to become president, explains R. Žemaitaitis, there would be changes in Lithuania’s foreign policy. The politician says that after receiving the mandate, he would request a visit to China, and he would change the name of the Taiwanese representative office.
“I was a member of the Taiwanese delegation, I have been to Taiwan four times and I know this matter. If you don’t want conflicts, you need to coordinate foreign policy,” says the politician.
– Mr. Žemaitaiti, will you take part in the upcoming presidential elections or the European Parliament or Seimas elections??
– Seimas, because I will not participate in the European Parliament elections. I don’t want to cheat people. The Seimas elections in October are very important to me. For the first time in 34 years, Lithuania will have a unique situation – the population will elect the Seimas and the European Parliament and the president at the same time. What does this mean? If a president is elected who has a political party and a political support, then automatically in October he can say – support Nemunas Aušra, support another party. This means that you can have a strong ruling majority for four years and work. Not like now. Now we live like a dog with a cat.
– You say that the priority is the Seimas elections. As I understand it, there are no great ambitions in the presidential elections. You realistically assess the situation and do not think about victory or the second round.
– Simple thing. If I manage to increase people’s activity and come to the elections with 6-7 percent. If it happens that I manage to bring the part of Žemaitija where my positions are strongest, it may happen that I can also appear in the second round.
– In any case, the presidential election is more of a technical bridgehead for your further political perspective.
– This is one thing, and the second thing – the presidential elections are aimed at showing that Lithuania has a Constitution and that it must be followed. I am ashamed that presidential candidates write election programs without following them. That’s why I go to many places and explain the functions of the president.
– And speaking of the candidates – looking at the battle of 8 candidates, you can find separate micro-duels. D. Žalimas slanders I. Vēgėlė, President G. Nausėda seems to find more opportunities to shake the Government. Children – before everyone. Who is R. Žemaitaitis against, do you have a separate fight in this election campaign?
– Of all the participants, my situation is the easiest.
– Why?
– It’s a very simple thing. I am the youngest candidate, but I have the most experience in the Seimas. Plus, I’m a single seater, not a list voter.
– Why is this important?
– I have a strict political ideology and over the past 16 years my position has only grown stronger. Another thing, I don’t need to compete with them. One is a person in the banking system, the other tried to push his lover to become a judge of the Constitutional Court. In my mind, this is immoral. For that alone, if you look at this man, there is no political culture. Did you hear somewhere that Žemaitaitis tried to push his wife or relatives or close friends into some institutions – you will not find that in 16 years.
– There are other stories about Žemaitaitis.
– I am talking about stories where personal goals are pursued.
– There will definitely be stories – your house, for example, was built…
– My house is built… The prosecutor’s office stopped all investigations. The house is built according to all permits. The STT stated that there is no composition of the crime here. You will find nothing wrong with my personal affairs. (…) But those micro-fights. I don’t participate in them. I do not care.
– But aren’t you “forging” the Government or the same I. Šimonytė in order to mobilize voters?
– This is not the forging of I. Šimonytė. There is reasoned criticism. Her work is below the plinth. I am trying to show that we have a lady who is not very focused on what is happening in the state. We had a lady in Daukanta Square for 10 years, who was strong, had the right management, and she understood what the processes were. I. Šimonytė wants to become D. Grybauskaitė, but she is light years away from D. Grybauskaitė.
– Let’s return to the presidential election. Do you imagine yourself as the president sitting in the Daukanta Square palace and doing things that are entrusted to this institution?
– Yes. The president is 90 percent responsible for all domestic policy. The president’s primary function is to ensure that domestic policy functions like a Swiss watch. And I see it, and I’m not afraid to criticize it. Gitanas Nausėda did not follow Article 84 of the Constitution at all and left the internal policy to the executive power. It’s mind-boggling. The President is the guarantor of the Constitution between the executive and the legislative, between the judiciary and the nation. This is how I fully imagine myself. Like Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas, who played a big role in domestic politics.
– Mobilization is often expected from the president, and the candidates themselves do not shy away from talking about it. Would you find in yourself such energy and abilities to gather parties and people around you?
– Certainly not with all political forces. Certainly not all political forces will want to come together. There is no person, no creature, no faith in the world that he can mobilize. It’s a bluff.
– In other words, you wouldn’t set such an ambition on yourself.
– I’m not even going to get up. I’m sane, I’m not broke enough to say I’m going to concentrate. How can I sit R. Karbauskis or other politicians at the same table.
– I would formulate the question even more broadly. You yourself are seen as a scandalous politician who keeps getting involved in high-profile events. How would this image of you correlate with the position of the president? After all, in a sense, a conventional politician is needed here.
– Is Polish President A. Duda among conventional or not conventional politicians? He met with Donald Trump despite Poland’s position…
– But it is unlikely that A. Duda would write insultingly about the president of another country on his Facebook account.
– They are not offensive. This is a description.
– You Mr. Biden Bottle you called
– That’s what I call him Bottle. It is absolute Bins. How can the American president, who for 8 months is unable to mobilize Congress to provide support to Ukraine, be called otherwise? This is my position, and I know that this man, Bidon, as I shall call him henceforth, has done immense harm to America and harmed the entire Alliance. Trump has made it very clear, either you pay NATO 2 percent or get out of here. What did Mr. Biden do? He almost destroyed NATO. I can shake a person’s hand, but I can also directly say: dear, either you pick up your hat and start working, or stop pretending to work.
– But only a politician who knows for sure that he will never talk to him and that he will never become more important or hold the position of head of state can talk like that about the head of a state that is existentially important for Lithuania.
– I can appreciate Mr. Biden because he is elected by the people. According to duties. Just as I would be elected by the people in terms of office. Recep Erdogan called Benjamin Netanyahu Hitler. Because like me, Erdogan also thinks he is Hitler. What he is doing in Palestine is simply unforgivable. But that doesn’t mean the Jewish people do. Let’s separate Mr. Biden from America and his policies.
– The most important thing is not to separate and connect things when it is convenient. Consistency is needed. But back to the question. There are national security interests, and those national security interests are realized by those representing the state in a complex way – both by controlling the tongue and strategizing. This is the narrative coming out of the darkness now – you don’t have to answer for your words because it is now being heard.
– Good question. President Bins recently stated that we defend Israel and the air defense system, but we will not defend Ukraine. How he speaks like that, how the American president says that the war in Ukraine is different than in Israel.
– What do you want to say?
“You’re trying to tell me I can’t call him Bidon, but Bidon tells me he won’t defend the air defense, that if there’s a war, he won’t help us at all.” He said that about Ukraine. Ukraine is our partner, if it is not defended, Lithuania, Poland, Latvia will be wiped off the face of the earth. This is the point…
– The point is in the details. And here different situations are thrown…
– What situations?
– There are geopolitical paradigms, aspects…
– Why do we need an American if he said that he will not defend Ukraine? I value the American president as he values our region.
– He will not give a single inch – he said while standing in Lithuania recently.
– During the last four months, Russia entered the territory of Ukraine tens of kilometers. How it won’t give a millimeter, but it did.
– In our conversation, you again bring up the aspect of Israel, which is why you got into trouble in the Seimas. As I understand it, you don’t really regret all that history.
– I have absolutely no regrets. I continue to write and upload videos. And I wrote that Israel is an animal, and that B. Netanyahu is an animal. I have a video where the Minister of National Defense of Israel says that we will cut off water, electricity…
– You have talked about it many times. Let’s wrap up the issue and stay in the discourse of the presidential election. It does not matter that there is no ambition, as you say, to get into the Presidency… But in the context of presidential etiquette, manners and finally prerogatives, your actions look suspicious, if everyone says that your move is bad, if everyone says that it is unethical, it is insulting. It was like that for you. You lost your membership in the party, not only those in power, but also the opposition had comments. Even representatives of foreign countries spoke. Having received criticism from such various sources, I think a person should think: is everything really okay with me, is what I say okay?
– You are absolutely right. And why do you all say that when my ratings are 6 percent? What did everyone say? You decided? Peter decided? Who are you to decide? I will read the Constitution to you – the state of Lithuania is created by the nation, sovereignty belongs to the nation. The highest sovereign power is exercised by the nation through democratic elections. Is it written somewhere that Ben can decide what Lowlander can be? This is my position and you do not adopt the second and third articles of the Constitution.
– This is not what we are talking about. After all, you can throw any questions into the public space. For example, should the death penalty be brought back. There may be people who will support such an initiative. But then does a politician have to follow such a mass? Let’s summarize – imagine yourself in the second round of the election, or even in such a situation that you are elected. Do you think there would be a reaction from foreign countries? Would heads of state welcome you?
– The Republic of Lithuania is an independent democratic Republic. No one can restrict or limit the sovereignty of a nation, to appropriate the powers that belong to the entire nation… What kind of president of another country can interfere in the affairs of another country and comment on elections… It’s the same for me, what Peter or Antanas will say. I follow the Constitution.
– But the president’s prerogatives include the function of representing the state. General reputation is not important for this purpose?
– It is very important. But let’s start, journalists, to read the Constitution. Article 84 The President of the Republic of Lithuania decides the main issues of foreign policy and implements foreign policy together with the Government. Where is it written that the president can unilaterally…
– The question was about something else. But let’s talk about foreign policy. Would you agree that there are no more discussions left in Lithuania’s foreign and security policy?
– Yes, she is gone.
– Would you agree that there is no need to change anything in this area? I’m talking about strategy. For example, when it comes to relations with Russia. Now, it seems that there is no longer any debate among active politicians about whether to talk to Russia.
– In my opinion, those residents of Russia, residents of Russian nationality who have Lithuanian citizenship and a temporary residence permit in Lithuania, we must first start talking with them. We have to show that we do not condemn the Russian people and that they are not fundamentally evil. But it is being tried. What the last polls have shown is that when the question was asked whether you would contribute to the defense or whether you agree that Russia is a threat, citizens of other nationalities said that we do not agree. What does this indicate? This indicates to politicians that there is a significant social group to be talked to. To what level should one talk – that is the question. Should we stick to Russian schools? I think no. We have to approve the 10-11 year plan.
– Abandon Russian-speaking schools?
– You won’t give them up now. Children entering the first grade should have three Russian lessons instead of five. There must be five lessons in Lithuanian. There must be integrative lessons. We need to appoint teaching assistants. But now, when you come and tell eleventh that we’re taking your lessons away…
– But in principle you support the formulated idea.
– Yes, but not as it was presented. I did not support the abolition of Russian lessons in Lithuanian schools. My child is in the fifth grade and I said that my child will learn Russian. I will hire an additional tutor to teach him that language. Because I believe that in 6-7 years, a tectonic break will occur in Russia, which we expect. But the Russian people must understand for themselves. Democratic elements certain will happen. Of course, China will oppose this.
– As for that tectonic break – now the assessment of the Russian threat has become uniform in Lithuania. Seven years ago, there were still debates and differing views on the left and right of the center. Now there seems to be no question about it. There is more discussion about whether Russia will attack Lithuania or not. Where are you on this line?
– I don’t see war. That provocation can be, it can be. They can be already in the fall, when the elections will be held in America. For example, Trump wins the election. A new president is sworn in by January. So, for a month V. Putin has the opportunity to bombard Ukraine or the Baltic countries from all sides (…). But if a German company is planning to build a factory in Radvilišky, how will a German build and invest a billion in the factory… I am not Vanga, I am not Landsbergis, they could answer…
– In general, would you see a need for changes in Lithuania’s foreign policy?
– We need to communicate with the Russian people, we need to communicate with the Belarusian people. It is necessary to maintain contact with their expatriate.
– And now you don’t support it?
– Now it doesn’t support it, now it’s the opposite. Now it is condemned, oppressed, blackened, humiliated. How can you implement the policy if you close the border checkpoints with Belarus. Is it normal? Aggression begets aggression. That Belarusian, who was a fan of democracy and used to come to Lithuania and saw that it was the light at the end of the tunnel, now the border is being closed to him.
– And relations with China?
– They will be friendly enough with me. I will go to China myself, ask for a visit.
– The issue of the Taiwanese representation?
– Representation can be.
“With the same name?”
– Taipei. I was a member of the Taiwan delegation, I have been to Taiwan four times and I know this thing. If you don’t want conflicts, you need to coordinate foreign policy.
– Relations with Israel?
– I don’t see a chance with the current prime minister, I wouldn’t set foot on such a person.
– The question of Palestine?
– The question of Palestine is one of the things to be discussed. Here I would stick to strategic partners – America and European Union members (position – ELTA).
– Finally, a few aspects of domestic politics. You are from a single-member district. In addition, listening to your manner of speech, criticism of those in power, it may seem unusual that you are in favor of a civil union.
– I will read the Constitution. Third section. The family is the foundation of society and the state. This means that families are all. A grandmother with her grandson is a family, a single mother is a family, two men and two women are a family. But it is said that marriage is concluded by the free consent of a man and a woman. This means that two men or two women will never be able to marry in Lithuania until the Constitution is changed. Article 38 needs to be changed. Now for the partnership. A partnership law must be passed for non-same-sex couples. What did A. Armonaitė and the Freedom Party do? They were hooked on it being same-sex only.
– Does this mean that the Constitution obliges you to support this initiative?
– I was obliged by the Constitution to apply the partnership to all (families – ELTA). Without exception. It is an economic transaction, it cannot have only the elements of marriage. If the partnership has elements of marriage – then it will be against the Constitution.
– Why are other single-member politicians afraid to talk about it, to support this initiative?
– They are afraid because… I don’t know how much Tomas Vytautas Raskevičius hates the LGBT community… They say that a partnership requires two men and two women. Then the monomantists say they are against it. But when I explain to people in the area that it’s not two men, that it’s your child who lives with a girlfriend or a boyfriend… If they want to go to the bank and get a loan, if one of them is hospitalized and they can’t get information … That’s why we need a partnership
– But including same-sex couples.
– For everyone.
