Is Mr. Landsberg proposing to punish freedom of expression? – Respublika.lt

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Does Mr. Landsberg propose to punish freedom of expression? Photo by Stasys Žumbis

“Personalities concern me. Sometimes they turn into a threatening tone. So it really should stop. In some cases (could be done – ed. Past). Maybe even law enforcement. The debate must not be allowed to accelerate into a civil war, “the foreign minister told reporters on Tuesday after a meeting with the president.

Mr. Landsbergis also commented on the fact that President Gitan Nauseda had expressed his support for the attacked priest Algirdas Toliatas in the debate on the Istanbul Convention. G. Landsbergis, like Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė, asked to take into account the fact that the other party receives insults or even threats in the public sphere, first of all, the chairman of the Human Rights Committee of the Seimas, Tomas Vytautas Raskevičius.

“In my understanding, the discussion should not be about one side or the other and not about one person or the other. Due to the fact that insults and bitter words, and even threats, flow perhaps even more towards the Seimas and towards the people who ask questions there: to Mr. Raskevičius. I would say that the topic should be narrowed down first and the discussion on the content of the problem should continue: why Lithuania needs this convention, why should it be ratified, what additional protections would it give people, if it did. Landsbergis said.

Landsbergis, when asked by journalists if he intended to support the bill being prepared by the Freedom Party, which also provided for the possibility of same-sex couples, could not answer. According to the politician, he supports the very idea of ​​the institute, but cannot yet say whether he will support the law itself, because he has not seen it.

“I have not seen the law itself. I have no idea what the final version will be that will be sent to the Seimas. If appropriate, I support that institute itself,” said G. Landsbergis.

On Monday, the head of the country G. Nausėda, in response to the discussions on the Istanbul Convention, said that he spoke in favor of the priest A. Toliatas.

Today, a public inquisition has been formed in Lithuania: people who imagine they can mix dissidents with mud and sometimes do it in a disgusting way … They consider themselves unpunished. I think we don’t have to put up with this, and today I am on the side of the esteemed priest Tolyat, mainly because I am on his side as a human being. And what position he represents is a derivative question. We can discuss the positions, but let’s do it respectfully among ourselves, ”said G. Nausėda and did not dare to reveal his personal opinion on the Istanbul Convention.

Meanwhile, I. Šimonytė said in an interview with Elta last week that, although he did not agree with the Church’s position on the Istanbul Convention or the Association Law, the priest Algirdas Toliatas, he notes, was unreasonably attacked. . According to the politician, it is very important that everyone involved in this debate speak the language of the discussion.