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Even before the commission made the decision to submit a request to the Office of the Prosecutor General regarding the failure of the Minister of Transport to reply to the commission’s questions about the circumstances of the competence of the Director of the Port of Klaipeda State , the government authorities decided to change the unfavorable composition of the Anti-Corruption Commission.
In the morning, Rima Baškienė, Vice President of Seimas, proposed delegating several “social workers” to the composition of the Anti-Corruption Commission instead of representatives of the opposition and a mixed group of Seimas members. The latter are not currently members of the commission.
Such an initiative by R. Baškienė, which was included on the Seimas agenda on Thursday, was immediately related to the desire of opposition party representatives to avoid the commission’s planned appeal to the Prosecutor General’s Office.
“This is an exceptionally incorrect proposal from the Vice President of Seimas to remove a member of the Anti-Corruption Commission without presenting a faction without informing the Conference of Elders about such an idea. We see how much fear there is when the Anti-Corruption Commission has to vote today to run for office. the Office of the Attorney General (…) This is how he shows that he is afraid of this explanation, ”conservative Jurgis Razma interpreted the situation.
Liberal Eugenijus Gentvilas also supported him, noting that R. Baškienė’s initiative is far from a systematic attempt to formally review the quotas allocated to Seimas factions in parliamentary committees and commissions.
“A government group demands that the issue related to this commission be considered without waiting for a general agreement; such an anti-systemic decision cannot be approved, the elders have to go, find out the quotas in various commissions of different groups and only then make decisions systematic, “said Gentvilas.
For his part, conservative leader Gabrielius Landsbergis called the Seimas vice president’s initiative a serious violation of the rights of the parliamentary minority.
“This is a very rude act that violates minority rights, and if, however, it is implemented today, I believe that the minority, both the opposition and the mixed group, would not see opportunities for further cooperation in passing laws. in the Seimas, “Landsberg said.
The opposition and a mixed group of Seimas members mobilized.
The opposition leader’s hint came true when the mixed group of Seimas members and the opposition failed to register the regional development bill without registering to vote. In total, only 63 Seimas members voted in favor of this project, forcing the project topic to be postponed.
When the wave of resentment over the Seimas decision that a major law became hostage to disagreements, opposition representatives began demanding that R. Baškienė withdraw the proposal to change the composition of the Anti-Corruption Commission.
“It just came to our attention then. In the morning, he was very pleased to include the issue of reform of the composition of the Anti-Corruption Commission. You thought you had achieved a great victory. That is the result of that victory: they are not approving laws that can be voted on, but be good, initiators, withdraw the draft resolution on the Anti-Corruption Commission and let us continue to work peacefully, “said E. Gentvilas, addressing the ruling authorities and R. Baškienė.
For his part, Povilas Urbšys, who belongs to a mixed group of members of the Seimas, affirmed that, according to him, those who do not have a de facto majority should actually read and only if they wish, the rights belonging to the minority do not can be overcome.
“It is difficult for the ruling majority to admit that they do not have that majority.” We are ready to work constructively, but you do not violate the other party’s basic rights. If you want to form an anti-corruption commission in this way, where you can determine for yourself which members should be on it, how much is your speech on transparency worth. This is hypocrisy … But you can stop, because today you will not have that majority when it comes to passing laws. This is done so that I can return to parliamentary work and not be a member of the Naisiai Collective Farm, “said P. Urbšys.
Interior Minister Rita Tamašunienė joined the series of calls voiced by opposition representatives. The politician stressed that the lack of a regional development law is too important to become the subject of disagreements between the government and the opposition.
“We confuse the mills with gingerbread and we choose the Regional Development Law, which is depoliticized, which awaits the municipalities, the mayors … We politicize those things and we choose a law as innocent as the object of our dispute”, R. Tamašūnienė was angry at the Seimas.
The conservative Sergei Jovaiša replied to the Minister that there was no talk of the law, but of democracy in general and that only the rulers, who had withdrawn from their intentions towards the Anti-Corruption Commission, could rectify the situation.
“It is not about the law, whether it is approved or not, it is about democracy. Why don’t you, Minister, address the coalition partners and withdraw this disgustingly accepted proposal? Then the work would be completely different”, – replied S. Jovaiša.
“The opposition has joined the members of the mixed group and says not to shake hands.” We have agreed not to support any reception until it is withdrawn … Then all this destruction will end, “Kęstutis Masiulis, another conservative, told his party colleague.
R. Baškiene had to withdraw
Finally, R. Baškienė, who had not survived the tension, announced that he would withdraw the controversial proposal, arguing that he was doing it for the benefit of Lithuania.
“The cohesion, the cooperation, the decisions that are necessary for the Lithuanian people are more important than any coordination of the commission or anything else. Dear colleagues, if the reason is Seimas’s resolution on the Anti-Corruption Commission (…) with the adoption of laws, I will withdraw and I will no longer present this resolution (…) I ask for your joint work, joint action and unity “, – addressed the members of Seimas R. Baškienė.
“Let’s continue working, I ask you to vote on Regional Development and other important laws for Lithuania, and we will find decisions on the commissions by consensus,” he said in a word of honor that he would withdraw his initiative in the morning.
Opposition member of ruler Seimas did not verbally trust the fee
However, the opposition did not believe in R. Baškienė’s word of honor and requested that the promise be immediately followed up in writing.
“There is a very simple way for the Vice President of Seimas to realize his announced intentions: go to the secretary and write to withdraw the project, and everything will be resolved.” If the vice president does that, then we will vote in an orderly manner, “said conservative Jurgis Razma.
Following this invitation from the conservative, Seimas spokesman Viktoras Pranckietis asked the Secretariat to bring the necessary documents.
After finding a compromise among conservatives in the ruling opposition, member Vytautas Juozapaitis appealed to the “peasant” leaders regarding R. Baškienė, asking them not to exact revenge on the party colleague who had made the decision.
“Mrs. Rima, you are the person whose words we trust everyone, but I ask the leaders of your group and the party not to take revenge on you for not having consequences. We have reason to think that the sanctions may follow you,” said V Juozapaitis.
Following this decision by R. Baškienė, the Seimas once again voted for the amendment to the Regional Development Law and supported it almost unanimously (83 Seimas members were in favor, 17 MPs abstained).
After these disagreements, the Seimas Anti-Corruption Commission, having not received from the Minister of Transport for the third time relevant information for the investigation of the transparency of the tender for the post of the Director General of the SE Klaipėda State Port Authority, decided submit the material to the Office of the Attorney General.
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