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Seimas spokesperson V.Čmilytė-Nielsen met with historians from Vilnius University, Vytautas Magnus University, Klaipėda University and the Lithuanian Institute of History.
Its representatives addressed the Speaker of the Parliament, highlighting that after the change of the general director of LGGRTC (which became Adas Jakubauskas) in the summer of 2020, the activities of the center began to not hold events.
Historians have pointed out that does not see the possibility of further cooperation with the LGGRTC in the current circumstances and disassociates itself from the non-professional statements of its representatives;.
You want to level the imbalances
After meeting with V.Čmilyte-Nielsen, the director of the Lithuanian Institute of History A. Nikžentaitis said that despite other functions, LGGRTC cannot exist without some objective historical research.
Signs have long been received that much of downtown is bad.
According to A. Nikžentaitis, colleagues complained more than once. Some of them for the opinion expressed, in the words of the historian, were simply beginning to be persecuted.
He also mentioned such things when he was supposed to resign, the current head of the Center’s Historical Investigations Division, promised other positions, and at the same time negotiated behind the scenes the appointment of another person, apparently better for management.
“Basically it was about preparing a certain terrain, for example, to prepare an opinion away from science in that center, so that the center was ready to carry out certain propaganda objectives,” says the head of the Lithuanian Institute of History.
A. Nikžentaitis said that during the meeting with the President of Seimas, they discussed how the situation could be changed. According to the historian, LGGRTC’s problems, in a sense, have been programmed since its inception.
Photo by Lukas Balandus / 15min / Adas Jakubauskas
Apparently, in the rush to establish the center, no particular scientific watchdog was thought of, for example the Scientific Council, which could nominate candidates for the center’s director to the founder.
Scholars have suggested to further highlight the scientific status of the LGGRTC, without forgetting that there are people who work there alongside historians related to heritage, there are museums.
A. Nikžentaitis emphasized that the research conducted by LGGRCT and various published certificates must be impeccable in a scientific sense.
“The essence of our proposal was how to correct the imbalance that has arisen between science and politics. Certainly not trying to usurp the meaning of politics by leaving them and giving them opportunities. We made our suggestions.
We believe that if this center really begins to function in the same way as a scientific institution, we are ready to support in all possible ways, to help, to cooperate, to cooperate with them. Also help to explain through our contacts abroad and through our channels that this center is a serious scientific institution. Now this doesn’t really exist, “lamented the historian.
It is said that to avoid any uncertainty in the future, A. Nikžentaitis assured that the Lithuanian Institute of History does not want to join LGGRTC at all.
Sigismund Gedvila / 15-minute photo / Victoria Čmilytė-Nielsen, Alvydas Nikžentaitis, Loreta Skurvydaitė
The historian also stressed that if changes are implemented in the activities of the center, he will not run anywhere and will not participate in any of the governing bodies of this center.
“In my opinion, we have to get rid of a problem once it has become not only a domestic problem in Lithuania, but also an international one. Let’s not forget that this year is not only the beginning of the German-Soviet war (the anniversary of the beginning – last ed.), but also a very important historical date – the beginning of the Holocaust in Lithuania.
This is an issue we really had to think about, as we’ll point out: the LGGRTC itself. And now other institutions have to deal. And let me ask you: how much can you work full time for LGGRTC? Let them work once. It’s time for them to get organized, “said A. Nikžentaitis.
Three things to worry about
Loreta Skurvydaitė, dean of the Vilnius University Faculty of History, said that there are several things that concern LGGRTC. This is the paralysis of the institution itself at this time.
“Consequently, the institution cannot carry out the functions delegated to it. It is a community that currently, on the one hand, is really against it and, on the other, loses its professional researchers. very sensitive and very specific historical sources. The loss of those people means that we simply become less able to explore our past and understand it, “he emphasized.
Photo by Sigismund Gedvila / 15min / Loreta Skurvydaitė
The third worrying aspect, according to L. Skurvydaitė, is the issue of scientific independence and its politicization.
He stressed that the researcher has the right, the obligation and the freedom to be independent in his research, he should not be influenced.
I would agree with the supervisory authority
After meeting with historians, V.Čmilytė-Nielsen said they had approached the Seimas, voicing their comments on the LGGRTC and calling for more science to be returned to the center’s work.
“It is very important that tomorrow at the Seimas Board we plan to make a final decision on the formation of a working group, in which both the Human Rights Committee and the National Security and Defense Committee will delegate their representatives. Representatives of the Seimas Board will also work on it and will delve further into this situation. Later, he will apparently send recommendations to the Seimas, “he said.
Photo by Sigismund Gedvila / 15min / Victoria Čmilytė-Nielsen
According to V.Čmilytė-Nielsen, one of the possible solutions is to adjust or revise the LGGRTC regulations and the law, which has been amended for quite some time.
The researchers propose a supervisory body for the center. According to the president of Seimas, scientists and expert councils work in similar centers that operate in other countries.
“It just came to us then. An expert approach is really important. I think in this case it would be worth following the same example,” says V. Čmilytė-Nielsen.
Job left
15 minutes wrote that former LGGRTC historian Monika Kareniauskaitė said she had resigned because suffered “possible indirect threats of professional sanctions, underestimation of his professional skills, slander and gossip, possible pressure”.
He said he received more than one pressure, but the woes started when the management changed, when A. Jakubauskas became the director of the center and appointed Vidmantas Valiušaitis as his advisor.
Photo by Lukas Balandus / 15min / Vidmantas Valiušaitis
The LGGRTC director immediately explained that such statements were based on hearsay and did not question the senior advisor’s competencies.
Some of the centre’s employees approached A. Jakubauskas and the Seimas management, complaining that the research was becoming ideologized and politicized, the emotional climate in the institution was tense, and experienced historians were leaving work.
V. Valiušaitis resigned.
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