A.Veryga to the Seimas Board: Even people who come to vote in spacesuits can infect others

You can see the meeting here:

Earlier in the week, Seimas spokesperson Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen addressed Health Minister Aurelijus Veryga asking for rules on how the Seimas should function during a coronavirus pandemic so that Seimas members can remain safe but also fulfill their constitutional duties.

“What are the additional measures that would allow the members of the Seimas to fully comply with their constitutional duty? We cannot talk seriously about the closure of the Seimas, long breaks,” said the president of the Seimas.

V.Čmilytė-Nielsen also asked for the logic of the modified isolation rules to be explained, when isolation can be shortened for ministers, the president of the Seimas and their deputies, but not for members of the Seimas.

“The list is very long, but perhaps you can comment on how the functions of diplomats differ from those of the Seimas members and why the importance of some is placed above others,” he asked.

Seimas Vice President Paulius Saudargas added that isolation is not mandatory for representatives of many professions, including fishermen, but Seimas members are not seeking opportunities to perform constitutional duties.

Health Minister A. Veryga explained that there is no other proposal on how to take breaks from the work of the Seimas or establish the possibility that the leadership of the Seimas divide the parliamentarians into groups of different locals.

“The meetings are still a problem, but the National Center for Public Health is not going to help here,” he said, assuring that without the reform of the Statute it would not be possible to introduce telework in the Seimas.

According to the Minister, only representatives of those professions who do not have contacts at work can not isolate themselves.

“The professions you mentioned, you have to understand that they are people who can reach their workplace almost without contact. They are unitary people without whom the system could not function. They can go to work, but they can’t go to any store for a walk. If the Seimas could have such an isolated job when the parliamentarian is not facing anyone, but will we realize the lack of contact? If possible, we can talk about it, ”said A.Veryga.

The vice president of the Seimas P. Saudargas asked that perhaps the parliamentarians could come to vote only for a short time, for example, wearing “suits”.

“You can walk in spacesuits, but then you will need to do training on how to wear it safely. Let us understand that we do not allow even infected doctors with a space suit to go, because it is clear that there is no possibility of guaranteeing safety, that even with the media, they will not be infected ”, explained A. Veryga.

V.Čmilytė-Nielsen assured that we are not talking about the sick, but about people in forced self-isolation.

According to the minister, almost the only way to guarantee security in the Seimas are the amendments to the Statute, which will guarantee teleworking.

The Seimas president also asked the minister why people who have been ill in many countries no longer need to isolate themselves for three months, but in Lithuania they do.

“Is immunity recognized in Lithuania or are there other special rules?” Asked V. Čmilytė-Nielsen.

The minister assured that this procedure will be prepared next week.

Rolanda Lingienė, head of the NVSC Vilnius department, also explained to the Seimas Board how a misunderstanding arose this week when the need to isolate three MPs who really did not need to be isolated was announced.

“We are very sorry, but there was a mistake, there was no policy, we never participated and we will not participate,” said R. Lingienė.

According to her, there was simply a misunderstanding, because the Seimas Chancellery assessed that these people had contact and the NVSC specialists did not have time to assess the risk of contact, since they no longer control the outbreaks. However, after an error and after assessing that the Seimas is a special institution, the NVSC appointed two people to manage the outbreak in the Seimas.

A.Veryga affirmed that a member of the Seimas, if he knows that he has had contact, should isolate himself and act responsibly and isolate himself, because the public gets angry when they see that not all the rules

“You will feel how society has changed, the mood is radically opposite to spring, you are very sensitive. Those messages don’t really help, “he said.

When asked if it will help ensure that all Seimas members at least monitor and prevent COVID-19 investigation, the minister said that no Seimas member can be forcibly tested.

R. Lingienė also spoke to the Seimas Board as a representative of the NVSC professional workers union. He assured that the average salary of the institution is 200 euros lower than the median of institutions subordinate to the ministry.

“We had to dissuade two people last week from leaving work. They agreed to work temporarily for half of the term,” he told the Seimas Board and asked for more funds for the institution in next year’s budget.

The Conservative First Vice President of the Seimas Jurgis Razma asked that perhaps additional funds can be allocated to the NVSC of measures to combat the coronavirus later this year so that “people can at least receive Christmas bonuses.”

“I hope your words reach God’s ear,” R. Lingienė thanked the Seimas member for his concern, and the Minister of Health did not comment on the proposal.