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“On Friday, the working group adopted conclusions proposing that the Seimas Board address the Seimas regarding the suitability of A. Jakubauskas as director general of the Research Center on Genocide and Resistance of Lithuania”, Radvilė Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė, head of the task force, told BNS.
Six members of the working group voted in favor of this conclusion, one against.
According to R. Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė, everyone is interested in the LGGRTC being strong, running smoothly and representing the interests of the Lithuanian state.
“(…) it was clear that A. Jakubauskas could not ensure the proper functioning of the institution. The head of the center failed to solve the problems constructively, the chosen action only increased tension and resistance in the center under his leadership. In addition, the constant appearance of information on the situation of the center in the public space undermined the business reputation of this institution ”, said the head of the working group.
The director of LGGRTC is appointed and dismissed by the Seimas.
The removal of the head of a state institution appointed by the Parliament can be initiated by the Board of the Seimas, a committee or a fifth of the parliamentarians.
The Seimas Board formed a working group to explain the situation at the Genocide Center, having received several appeals about the tension in this institution and the possible politicization of the investigation. The letters said that the situation had worsened last summer when the center began to run Adas Jakubauskas, appointed by Seimas.
On March 12, one of the director’s critics, historian Mingailė Jurkutė, was fired from LGGRTC. The repeated violations were cited as grounds for dismissal, “related to the dissemination of information that misled the community interested in the activities of the Center by not providing facts and arguments or by providing false facts and arguments.” According to the report, the employee also raised doubts about the reliability and legitimacy of her institution’s work.
On Friday, the centre’s scientists are organizing a campaign in support of M. Jurkutė and aim to “draw attention to freedom of expression and the threat to freedom of investigation.”
A. Jakubauskas repeatedly rejected the accusations and accusations. In a public letter released Thursday, he said discontent was expressed by 17 employees of the center, that is, 12 percent of the total workforce.
“12% were dissatisfied. Workers?” Strengthening of political control, which restricts the autonomy of science and reduces the quality of research. “Question: Is there at least one” fact of political control “? The answer is no” said the head of the Genocide Center.
The LGGRTC investigates all manifestations of genocide and crimes against humanity and the persecution of the Lithuanian population during the years of occupation, as well as the processes of armed and unarmed resistance to the occupations, initiates the legal evaluation of the organizers and perpetrators of the genocide , commemorates freedom fighters and victims of the genocide.
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