Nausėda responds to Šimonytė's criticism: 'Conservatives often have a perception problem'

„Conservatives often have a perception problem. I have expressed that view many times, and they are still unclear; they still recommend that I say something. I would say, work with literature and certain disciplines, and you will better understand what the President wanted to say,“ Nausėda told journalists on Wednesday.

„We must realise that many rhetorical expressions are simply made for one purpose on the eve of the Seimas elections. It is no secret that sometimes the President is also suited to be dragged into these pre-election battles, trying to hook him and drag him into these unnecessary debates. I will not do that. Let the politicians fight among themselves in an honourable manner and let the voter choose on 13 October“, he added.

As previously reported, the Prime Minister echoed the criticism of Conservative Party Chairman Gabrielius Landsbergis over the allegedly anti-Semitic advisers to the Head of State. She said that if the Head of State receives worrying signals from foreign partners, the question is whether the President's Office responds to these fears.

„There is a lack of such a direction or such an idea because, on the one hand, it is hinted that our partners in Germany, who are supposed to reinforce our defence significantly, are sending out signals, and they are probably sending them to the President of the Republic first. So, if you somehow receive those signals, the question remains: how do you react to those signals? Because so far, the reactions that I have heard from (the President's – ELTA) advisors are that Žemaitaitis is complicating something for himself, Žemaitaitis is doing this, Žemaitaitis is doing that...“ she said, calling on the President to openly say whether he envisages Žemaitaitis in the Government.

ELTA recalls that during the TS-LKD congress on Sunday, Conservative chairman Landsbergis stated that he believes that there are people in the team of advisers to President Nausėda who secretly hope that the Nemuno Aušra, led by Remigijus Žemaitaitis, who has violated the Constitution by making anti-Semitic statements, will be successful in the October parliamentary elections.

„The President's anti-Semitic advisers are secretly hoping for the election of their kind. For them, it is as if it would atone for the sins committed a decade ago. You see – people elect Žemaitaitis, the Prime Minister appoints him as a minister, so apparently anti-Semitism is not so bad anymore,“ Landsbergis said in his address to the participants of the TS-LKD congress.

„It is hard not to see a parallel between the president's advisor who wrote a series of the most disgusting texts, „Tomkus in the press“, and Žemaitaitis, who is knocking on the gates of the Seimas, breaking the Constitution and breaking his oath of office,“ the Conservatives' leader said, indirectly referring to the President's chief advisor, Frederikas Jansonas.

President Nausėda rejected such statements by the Minister and called it „another example of an uncontrolled tongue“.

„The Foreign Minister has been weighed down by so many troubles lately that he has decided to strike back. However, on the same basis, I could call him all sorts of epithets without providing any evidence or arguments,“ Nausėda told reporters at the Presidential Palace on Monday.

„It is a pity that someone still young enough is taking a path that is not quite right. But here are his problems“, he added.

Observing the growing popularity of Nemuno Aušra, Landsbergis had earlier called on the traditional parties to talk and create a „sanitary cordon“, which, he said, would prevent radical political forces from entering the Government.