Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen: I decide on the freedom of the Franciscan from his initiatives

However, when asked to answer the question whether he did not doubt Francis’s liberal worldview, Čmilytė-Nielsen stated that he decided on Franciscan liberalism with the support that the liberal movement “really needed”:

“I am judging by the initiatives that our French supported Seimas at a time when we really needed that support. For example, when we proposed the Seimas early elections project, the Frenchman was the only politician outside our group who contributed and signed after this initiative.

He also strongly supported the change in the age requirement of Seimas candidates, inspired by the organization of young liberals. I really appreciate that you have supported initiatives that are important to us, “said the leader of the Liberal Movement in an interview with Delfi.

– He recently said that there are a lot of parties in Lithuania that are associated with liberalism, and that this threatens to lose the “real ideological tournament”. The Liberal Movement: The Only Authentic Ideological Liberals?

– Good question. In fact, I often ask myself: what is the gold standard of the Lithuanian liberal politician? I have no answer to this question.

It seems unacceptable to me that liberalism draws a very narrow line and cries out for every politician or citizen who moves an inch to the left or right of that line to be racist, homophobic, or a “perpetrator”, as one of my speakers has said. recent. former colleague. In my opinion, this is not liberalism.

How do I imagine the necessary attributes of a liberal politician? I think this is, above all, a broad world view. It is more common in people of the academic type, although not necessarily, of course. These are politicians who are not afraid to doubt and sometimes admit their mistakes.

My experience is that these are politicians who don’t allow themselves to be played with the lowest human instincts. This is how I imagine liberal politicians. And it is difficult to speak of authentic ideology in Lithuanian conditions.

– Who are those that, according to you, represent a threat, called liberals?

– I don’t remember very well what I was referring to, what was the context. I was probably referring to parties that call themselves liberals, though without using the word ‘liberalism’ in their names. It is both the nucleus of the Vilnius branch separated from our party with Remigijus and Aušrinas at the forefront, and a newly formed party that calls itself conservative liberals: the “Three Musketeers.”

– You came to politics before 2016. elections …

– In 2012, I participated in the elections for the first time. At the time, he was still a newcomer to politics. In 2015, when Remigijus Šimašius became mayor of Vilnius, I became a member of the Seimas because I was first behind the “script” on the list. Those remaining half years before the new elections were my debut in parliament.

– What prompted you to come to the Liberal Movement? People who come to ideological parties should think that Lithuania lacks the ideology they have chosen. Do you think Lithuania has lacked liberalism in the last decade?

– When in 2012 I decided to run with the Liberal Movement, my choice was completely obvious to me.

It is no secret that political parties attract famous people in the world of sports, regardless of their ideology.

The Liberals impressed me as a young, energetic, and competent team. My ideas and values ​​were acceptable to me. I had no doubt which party I could get involved with in politics. My path to politics was ideologically direct and clean.

– Do you probably appreciate such a true and clean path in your team? Do you value those who belong to the party not for profit, but for political convictions, for the principles of the worldview?

– Of course, I appreciate more those [vadovaujasi principais]. There were not many who could be at the party for the benefit. Those who sought immediate benefits fled in 2016 and immediately thereafter.

– And do you think former President Eligijus Masiulis focused more on the principles or benefits of the worldview?

“It is difficult for me to judge, because I did not know Eligius well.” But in 2012, when I came to the party, I believed in him as a bright liberal face. I think a lot of people in Lithuania did the same.

– If this is how you evaluate the principle and the values, the “true path”, then why is Viktor Pranckietis at the top of the list of candidates for the Seimas of his party (in third position)? Is he a politician worthy of liberalism and with all his heart?

– I don’t see any contradiction here. In the first place, I did not raise the President of Seimas, the Frenchman, to third place. This is the decision made by our party, by universal democratic vote. I could only accept complaints if I had corrected that list in some way. But I really didn’t.

On the other hand, I have already briefly defined how I imagine the attributes of a liberal politician. I have had contact with liberals in many EU countries, and I can say that this range of different types of liberals is very wide. So I don’t see any dissonance.

– You yourself said that the abundance of the so-called liberal and political parties threatens the ideological authenticity of liberalism. And doesn’t the emergence of Francisco at the top of the Liberal Movement miraculously represent such a threat? Is French an extremely authentic liberal?

– I return to the fact that I do not know what is the gold standard of a liberal politician in Lithuania. Maybe it’s Artūras Zuokas? There have been several liberal politicians. Yes, those political actors who, in my opinion, are an open-minded academic type who value freedom of expression can be seen as liberal-minded people.

– Then there are more liberals among the green peasants, from whom the French came to you. For example, Eugenijus Jovaiša would suit you. Academic type, broad-minded.

– You only take one element from my definition. Mr Jovaiša should be asked whether he considers himself liberal. I was very surprised.

– Liberal French is also a miracle. You say he was rated by the party. Were you satisfied with the result of this ranking?

– I was very happy with us [sąrašo pirmasis] ten. You can compete with the top ten of any major game.

“Do you have doubts about Francisco’s liberal views?”

– I am judging what initiatives our French supported in Seimas, at a time when we really needed that support. For example, when we proposed a draft of the Seimas early elections, the Frenchman was the only politician outside of our group who contributed and signed after this initiative.

He also strongly supported the change in the age requirement of Seimas candidates, inspired by the organization of young liberals. I very much appreciate your supporting initiatives that are important to us.

– So your group thanked you for third place on the list?

– No. Why thank you? There really is nothing like this here. Party members ranked him third, welcoming them in a very positive way. And the final classification will be done by the voters.

– How do you assess the situation between the Liberal Movement and the Freedom Party? After all, these two parties will prevent the other from entering the Seimas.

– I treat this situation a little differently. Of course, the fact that the politicians who formed the core of the Vilnius branch of our party withdrew and formed their own party is not an advantage to the common cause of the liberals in Lithuania. In my opinion, they chose the easiest path, wanting to create a party for themselves.

– Why did you decide to create a party for them? Perhaps in the Liberal Movement they were inaudible, abused?

– You should ask them.

– I asked.

– And what do they say?

– He says he wanted true liberal parties, and that liberalism was lacking in the Liberal Movement.

– I have already mentioned what I do not consider liberalism. Could it be that they found no liberalism in this party? I do not know. This is a subjective question.

Perhaps they were looking for a community where opinion prevailed. Certainly, the Liberal Movement cannot be blamed for failing to tolerate an alternative opinion.

We are a party from all over Lithuania. Perhaps that liberalism on the Vilnius Lukiškės Square beach does not resonate equally everywhere. Perhaps that is the reason. And the Liberal Movement is guided by the ideology of liberalism and is consistent in its priorities.

– What would be your priorities if you were the ruling majority after the Seimas elections?

– I would like to talk about five priority areas: supporting a creative and independent person; education; human rights; health care, which, especially since the first wave of COVID-19, shows that change in this area is necessary as air (there have been no changes in recent years); environmental Protection. These are five issues that are very important to us liberals.

– The environment is rarely a priority. At least judging by the activities of many parties and the sad situation in the environment. Why is this area so important to you?

– The environment is one of the most important issues today. We see what is happening on a global scale, and we see that there are many problems in Lithuania: these are our ecological disasters, showing the degree of neglect and inattention in this area; Lithuania’s attractiveness as a green and clean country, the potential of which is underutilized; Other problems in the field of environmental protection.

– How do you evaluate the activities of the Minister of Environment of the ruling green party?

– I appreciate.

– Why? He is trying.

– The Minister played a public relations game when the ecological disasters I mentioned occurred (stories from Grigeo, Alytus). He hid from the opposition, did not take the appropriate measures.

At the beginning of the year, he said that the liberals were to blame for everything. He played games, although he probably had most of the problems in the area entrusted to him. We see no progress in this area: it has been the least accomplished in the past four years.

But perhaps the Liberal Movement would support hunting with bows and night vision devices as a form of self-expression?

– No. In the last period, we were very active in opposing hunting with night vision devices. I was working in the Environment Committee at the time and, among other things, our efforts did not lead to this decision.

And hunting with bows, daggers, dogs … Surprisingly, so much attention is paid to what could be treated as entertainment for a group of friends.

– The Minister for the Environment does not seem to really understand why we should not cross, say, the Punia forest. Could you, while in power, cross it or demand the expansion of a protected area?

– I am not competent enough to answer this question. You should ask Simon Gentville, Vice-President of the Committee on the Environment, who is very active on these issues.

– Lithuania is among the fastest-crossing European forests. What would be your party’s policy on deforestation? Will you send me to Gentville to find an answer?

– In my opinion, forests are one of the great assets of Lithuania. An expert does not need to answer this question. If we think about what Lithuania will be like in 2030 or 2050, apparently everyone would like to see it green, clean and safe. And the forests are our property. Although we should distinguish between a fanatical approach and a common sense approach.

For me, as a mother raising young children, I would like Lithuania to be as green as it is today, and even better as it was. [anksčiau].

– But there is almost no mature forest left. Are the fans you mentioned the ones who tried to save him and are still trying to save the remains?

– No. When I speak of fanaticism, I was referring to other examples. As a citizen, I am amazed when changes take place in cities and towns and there are no trees left over the years. It has been written about many times. I am aware that each of these cases must be considered on its own merits.

The example from my hometown: Šiauliai: there were no trees left in a short time. As a citizen and resident, this surprises me.

– Go to the forest and look around you. You will be even more surprised.

– I rarely do that.

– Let’s go back to your liberalism. During the second round of the presidential elections, you supported not the most liberal candidate Ingrid Šimonytė, but the most conservative Gitan Nausėda. At the top of the Seimas election list, you have raised a former peasant from France, who has never before suspected secret liberalism. Maybe they are bogus liberals after all?

– But you yourself say that Šimonytė is liberal, although she is a leader of the Conservative Party.

– And do you think Šimonytė’s political worldview is more conservative than Nausėda’s?

– Yes, this is a debate. Apparently not.

– No more conservative?

– No.

– So, all right, it seemed interesting liberal decision – to support a more conservative candidate.

– I can answer that the decision was logical enough because the Liberal Movement supported the non-partisan candidate. I understand that you will say that Šimonytė was also impartial.

– You said it yourself. But that’s not important. Šimonytė supporters scoffed at Nausėda conservatism, and Nausėda supporters scoffed at the liberalism of so-called “foreigners.” You have chosen a more conservative candidate and, consequently, your voter.

– We do not participate in all these taunts, as you rightly call them. I would highlight that we did not have our candidate at that time.