“There are no people who consciously and secretly collaborated,” she told BNS Lithuania on Tuesday.
Her statement followed claims by MP Zbignev Jedisnki, representing the opposition Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania – Christian Families Alliance, that Lithuania’s Central Electoral Commission (VRK) does not check candidates’ personal information forms whether they have correctly provided information on their ties with the KGB.
Under the existing laws, candidates seeking parliamentary seats and those running for president must declare whether they have collaborated with former Soviet repressive structures. If they have, the fact must be stated on the candidate’s poster.
Burauskaite said the VRK did no ask to check candidates before the 2016 election, adding that the election watchdog would previously start checking candidates in time.
On Tuesday, Jedinski introduced a bill in the parliament on the publication of the names of people who admitted to have worked for the KGB. This information is no classified. Introducing the bill, Jedinski showed a letter signed by VRK chair Laura Matjošaitytė, dated May 8 and asking the GRRCL head to check the incumbent lawmakers regarding their ties with the KGB.
The parliamentary opposition says Jedinski’s initiative runs counter to the state’s legal commitments and beneficial for the Kremlin.