Lithuanian parliament ethics watchdog to rule on four investigations into Žemaitaitis’ conduct and statements

The Lithuanian parliament’s Ethics and Procedures Commission will present findings from four separate investigations into the behaviour and public statements of MP Remigijus Žemaitaitis, leader of the conservative group Nemuno aušra, during its Wednesday session, LRT reports.

All four cases stem from Žemaitaitis’ remarks about Lithuania’s national broadcaster LRT, his conduct during public meetings, and allegations of improper data collection, according to commission chair Viktoras Fiodorovas.

One investigation examines whether Žemaitaitis violated ethical norms in a social media post where he referred to LRT staff as “comrades of free speech” alongside other derogatory terms. Two further probes relate to incidents in January: an altercation in Vilkaviškis, where Žemaitaitis allegedly shoved a man during a meeting with residents, and claims he improperly gathered personal data about attendees at an event in Elektrėnai. Prosecutors launched a pre-trial inquiry into the latter incident.

The fourth case centres on a Facebook post in which Žemaitaitis suggested writer Vytautas V. Landsbergis received a state literature grant for his novel Bevardis due to political connections, accusing the Lithuanian Culture Council of bias. The commission previously ruled in April that Žemaitaitis had breached the Politicians’ Code of Conduct by making unfounded claims about a 2023 student-led cultural protest.

Fiodorovas confirmed the commission will issue rulings on all four cases during Wednesday’s meeting.