Lithuanian FM: treaties with Russia, Belarus could have been denounced in spring already

VILNIUS – The Lithuanian government submitted a proposal to denounce investment treaties with Russia and Belarus in May, hence President Gitanas Nauseda had enough time to refer the issue to the Seimas for debate in the spring session, Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said on Tuesday.

“When it was submitted by the government in May, ... there was enough time to denounce them in the spring session already. Later, there were two extraordinary sessions, it was possible to denounce [the treaties] during those sessions and the matter could have been concluded,” he told reporters at the Seimas.

According to the Lithuanian top diplomat, the Foreign Ministry “has always identified” that treaties should be terminated immediately, especially those of great importance and contributing to the interests of the aggressor.

“In our assessment, ... the aggressor has a strong interest in the survival of these treaties and in their non-termination. The fall session was only chosen because [the respective bills] were not signed, [the treaties] were not denounced by the president, there was no other option", Landsbergis said.

He argued that “there is a legitimate question” as to why the two most significant treaties had not been terminated after the termination of all the treaties, but said he could not answer this question.

The minister would not comment on whether the delay in denouncing the treaties by the president was related to the so-called parliamentary commission on the State Security Department’s (SSD) whistleblower, which earlier identified the possible influence of Belarusian business on Nauseda.

“We were asked to evaluate all the treaties, and we submitted our evaluations. Most of the treaties have already been denounced or terminated, if they were at ministerial level, but these two still remain,” Landsbergis said.

The Lithuanian government decided to terminate the investment promotion and mutual protection agreements, signed with Russia and Belarus in 1999, in late May.

Asta Skaisgiryte, Nauseda's chief foreign policy advisor, told the Ziniu Radijas news radio earlier on Tuesday that she could say “in full responsibility” that President Nauseda was not under pressure from the Belarusian fertilizer business.

She also dismissed the controversy over the denunciation of the treaties as a “fuss” related to the upcoming Seimas election.

Skaisgiryte stated that the president would submit the drafts on the denunciation of the treaties to the Seimas “in the very next few days”, but added that she did not know whether this would happen this week.