Lithuania gets rid of the anti-Russian political paradigm

Last parliamentary elections in Lithuania considerably changed the power structure in this state. The party leader of the Socialist People’s Front Algirdas Paleckis tells about the main changes in political life of Lithuania in interview to “The world and we”.

- What are the relations between conservatives of “Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats” party and again created coalition? What party is supported more by the president of Lithuania?

It is necessary to consider that the president of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė was elected on this post with the big help of conservatives. It happened in 2009 when conservatives supported her nomination. Then they didn't propose the candidate and all forces threw to the aid of Dalia Grybauskaite. Certainly, she still had communication with this party. She remains grateful to them that their party structures then worked for her.

As always, the conservatives are active opposition. And they already enough aggressively criticize the government though it didn't manage to carry out any significant actions yet. Conservatives had intense relations with several political forces which are included into the present multi-party government. For example, it is Order and Justice Party under the leadership of Rolands Paksas who was eliminated in due time from a post of the president with a way which then was called as “impeachment”. But actually it was a small revolution for Lithuania.

And conservatives participated in this revolution - they accused Paksas of communication with the Russian mafia. And though it wasn't proved, this charge was enough to carry out this revolution in Lithuania. Therefore now, of course, there are tense relations between them. The conservatives always had conflicts with Viktor Uspaskich, the leader of Labour Party and also with social democrats. On the other hand, all mentioned parties including conservatives, reach the consent on great questions. For example, there are no disagreements concerning the European Union and NATO between them.

- What is an essence of criminal case against Viktor Uspaskich? How it arose and is politically motivated?

In 2005-2006 concerning the Labour Party which he heads, the investigation was made and the fact of conducting double-entry bookkeeping was elicited – any sums weren't declared. Prosecutors showed the corresponding charges to party and its leaders. But all this was made with big PR preparation. Investigation process constantly showed on television – searches and arrests were shown online, on the air. Because of it there was a suspicion that it is the political order. Because, if to take the large parties in Lithuania, it would be possible to find a problem with accounts department of every party. And the purpose was chosen one – the Labour Party which is the competitor for other parties is considered the pro-Russian. This case lasts still, and the end isn't visible to it. It can lead even to party closing if judges support the version of the prosecutor, and on leaders can be imposed large penalties or give them the prison terms. Therefore the Labour Party unites now with Order and Justice Party for providing an exit from this situation.

- Have the conservatives any essential ways of influence on policy of Lithuania after receiving low result at last parliamentary elections? Can they carry out the influence through any public or political structures?

They began to influence less, of course. On these elections they received 15% of votes, and on last they had about 25%. Therefore now they are in opposition. Thus the new government has the constitutional majority in parliament because they have 85 voices from 141. Therefore conservatives now are in quite deaf opposition. But at the same time it is very active opposition.

But, besides, in many respects they influence through the president. Though it seemed strange, but it is so. For example, their opinion on the Labour Party coincided that it can't be in a coalition. The president undertook a number of the corresponding actions, and slightly achieved it, but the compromise was reached on which some heads of this party couldn't become the ministers. Therefore on certain questions the influence on conservatives to be made through the president.

Also the influence is carried out through public, state television. There are many journalists who have conservative views and there are people in some private mass media who are the party members, or simply have such views. Therefore the main directions of influence are carried out by them through the president, the part of mass media, and, besides, Catholic church is very close to conservative party.

- Have the conservatives a certain ideological, organizational kernel, the main leader who directs their actions? Are any internal contradictions in this party?

Vytautas Landsbergis is the founder of this party though he also isn't now its chairman. Nowadays he is the European parliamentarian, he is 81 years old and though he is old, all the same remains very active in policy. The chairman of the party is Andrius Kubilius. Earlier he was the Prime Minister and he is quite influential among conservatives – there are no people who could displace him. In principle, this party is quite monolithic and their opinion coincides on key questions.

- Did someone carry out the analysis of an economic situation in Lithuania in case the Lithuanian-Russian relations start worsening? For example, if the Russian Federation ceases to use ports, pipeline systems and other infrastructure objects?

- It is already obvious to all that we lost a lot of things from that the relations didn't develop. For example, Russia carries out the trade relations, export deliveries to the west bypassing Lithuania – through Belarus, Poland and other countries. The Russian trade through the Klaipeda port considerably decreased – now Russia organizes these deliveries through the northern ports. The situation with oil refinery in the northern city of Mazeikiai is characteristic. It was given in the beginning to Americans, then Poles, but only not to Russians as our conservatives so wanted. And now the Poles deliver there, most likely, the Russian oil as intermediaries. I hadn't to see exact calculations, but it is obvious that they would show huge damage which brought broken links to Russia.

- How Lithuania will build the relations with NATO further – will participate in missile defence deployment, to place the military contingent?

It seems that the Americans mistrustfully look at Lithuania for some reason and, for example, rely on our western neighbours concerning missile defence – Poland, the Czech Republic and other countries more. We had no such question. Lithuania, of course, participates in different military operations of NATO, sends the limited military contingents there, for example, to Iraq, Afghanistan. But NATO has no big plans concerning Lithuania. Possibly, in comparison with Poland, they see much less opportunities here. So against economic problems which now exist in Lithuania, the subject of NATO was overshadowed.

But the government of Lithuania pursues the pro-American policy not only by means of NATO, but also by means of information war with Russia and Belarus, opposition training in the territory, continuous export of democracy, supports “orange” revolutions. Here it is more obvious actions on implementation of pro-American policy in Lithuania.

- How the politicians from ruling coalition treated carrying out Nazis march on February 16 in Kaunas which was organized by the Lithuanian National Youth Union led by Julius Panka? What is the influence of the Lithuanian National Youth Union in Lithuania?

The main event of this organization will take place on March 11- it is a day of restoration of independence of Lithuania. On February 16 they have usually a rehearsal in Kaunas and on March 11 they will carry out the main marshal already in Vilnius. And they throw the main forces there. The problem is that many politicians underestimate this threat and treat this movement quite indulgently. They say that it isn't terrible that it is simply the youth who shouts the patriotic slogans. There can be people near Nazis who went astray a little. But kernel of this organization is the completely pro-Nazi.

Influence of the Lithuanian National Youth Union is not mass, but gradually growing. If earlier these marches began from 50-60 people, now in Vilnius for March 11 gather to 2 thousand people. For Lithuania it is quite serious figure.

Strangely enough, this organization gets support from the state structures. For example, carrying out the summer youth camp, they get grants from the youth Department. Besides, recently they were admitted to the Union of the youth organizations of Lithuania in which they sit in board and have influence on the budget intended for the youth organizations. There was a case when journalists found out that about 12 neo-Nazis, young skinheads serve in the Lithuanian army. It was proved by photos. And nothing – these people remained in the same place to serve. Connivance and even support of such radical political force from state structures, certainly, guards.

- What forces in Lithuania interfere with development of the relations with the Russian Federation in every possible way?

The main force, of course, is conservative party. It is the party which works obviously against the interests of Lithuania because the Lithuanian people want to have good-neighbourhood with the Russian Federation and Belarus. And this party has the Russophobia in genes from the very beginning after all it was created as the anti-Russian movement. And they have the greatest influence on this field. Unfortunately, they are accompanied strongly by the president of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaite. Then, it is the Liberal party. They have about 8% of voices, they were the partners of conservatives in last government. This party is less but as it is adjusted anti-Russian. Then there is a non-parliamentary party the Lithuanian National Youth Union led by Julius Panka. But they aren't very influential yet – they have about one percent of votes on elections, but they very actively work at streets. And, of course, it is not small part of journalists, political scientists who are unfortunately infected with an illness of Russophobia and aggressive nationalism. Though they are not the politicians, but influence the public opinion. Here such anti-Russian forces exist in Lithuania and while they are quite influential.

- The anti-Russian orientation of conservatives from “Homeland Union” is the intra Lithuanian phenomenon or it arose at external influence of the western countries?

Sources of this phenomenon it is necessary to look in velvet revolutions at the end of the 80th and beginning of the 90th years when Lithuania separated from the USSR. Then strong influence of the Lithuanian diaspora in the USA on policy of Lithuania was observed. Then the people started hammering actively into the heads that we are occupied, that we constantly exterminated, and the USSR and its successor Russia are guilty in it and NATO is the rescuer from Russia. And many people then came under this propaganda influence and many consider still so. Therefore they are consequences of that period.

20 years have passed and economic difficulties forced many to look at these propaganda installations differently. But after all the thinking paradigm that we, Lithuanians are the victims that the USSR is an aggressor and that the West will help us remained in minds of many people – at some part of political elite and part of the population. And this paradigm of thinking was introduced by means of the western political strategists. Because these technologies of influence on public opinion were developed and they couldn't be in Lithuania in the late eighties. In that Post-Soviet society where there was no experience of political struggle even, there weren’t such technologies, of course. They were introduced by the western political strategists, first of all American as it becomes clear now.

But this introduced paradigm works less because it led to deplorable economic results. Many lost work, the population of Lithuania decreased from 4 million to 2 million people because there is a huge emigration, mortality huge, alcoholism, suicides – people suffer from crisis both economically and psychologically. Because of such consequences this paradigm loses the influence and there comes the time for a new paradigm. It is necessary to recognize the geography and not to have complex because of it as conservatives have complex and to use the geographical position, to remember that we have the general history and that we belong to this region where the states have much in common among themselves.

- Are the pro-Russian political parties in Lithuania?

I consider that it is not quite correct term. Because if some parties in Lithuania say that it is necessary to normalize the relations with Russia and other countries, to recognize the geographical position, so I don't think that it is necessary to call them pro-Russian at once. It is simple desire to restore the balance between the East and the West, to correct an imbalance which now exists. And it is favourable, first of all, not to Russia which so quietly does without Lithuania, but favourable to Lithuania. Therefore I consider such position as pro-Lithuanian. And from parliamentary parties the Labour Party adheres to such position and social democrats less obvious. Order and Justice Party doesn’t need this position. And from non-parliamentary parties it is our party the Socialist People’s Front. I think that this position will be approved further more and more in the Lithuanian policy.