Lithuanian ethics panel finds no breach over press conference title

LRT reports that the Seimas Ethics and Procedures Commission found no breach of the State Politicians’ Code of Conduct in conservative MP Dalia Asanavičiūtė-Gružauskienė’s press conference title, “Social Democrats against the Lithuanian language?” The commission reached its decision by consensus.

Social Democrat Lilija Vaitiekūnienė suggested that the commission recommend the MP avoid ambiguous or potentially offensive titles in future.

Social Democrat Ilona Gelažnikienė had asked the commission to assess the content and title of a press conference held on June 23, including whether it complied with the code. At the event, conservative party representatives presented proposed amendments requiring ride-hailing drivers to know the state language.

Gelažnikienė argued that the title discredited her party and harmed its reputation by presenting a factual claim without evidence. Asanavičiūtė-Gružauskienė said she had deliberately phrased the title as a question to draw media and public attention to the Social Democrats’ position on promoting and protecting the Lithuanian language.

She said the title reflected the circumstances: the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party had sought to delay the entry into force of amendments to the State Language Law, while the government had delayed amendments to the Road Transport Code.