"Seeing that the interior minister is unwilling to consider the conclusions of the Seimas' Anti-Corruption Commission and has no intentions of withdrawing his decree on revocation of the access to classified information to former FCIS chiefs Vitalijus Gailius and Vytautas Giržadas, as well as the decree on their dismissal from posts, the government should take the initiative on the matter," Razma said in a press release circulated on Monday.
He suggested that the Cabinet should follow the Law on the Government, which envisages that the government has the right to invalidate legal acts approved by government offices and offices operating under ministries, if they run counter the Constitution, laws or other legal acts passed by the Seimas.
In Razma's words, the argumentation presented by the Anti-Corruption Commission on the sacking of Gailius and Giržadas should provide sufficient legal grounds for the government to pass a resolution on cancellation of the decrees.
Palaitis has repeatedly emphasized he followed the law and would not recall his decisions to bar Gailius and Giržadas fro accessing classified information and dismiss them from office.
Minister should enjoy Government head's trust
Lithuania's Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius says that a minister should enjoy trust of the president, the head of the government and the parliamentary majority. However, has not specified whether he trusts the embattled Interior Minister Raimundas Palaitis.
"The commission revealed a number of factual circumstances, therefore, refusing to take the commission's work seriously would be irresponsible. (…) A minister must have the confidence of the prime minister, the president and the Seimas majority," he told journalists after the government's meeting on Monday. He spoke about the conclusions drawn by the parliamentary Anti-Corruption Commission after a probe of the circumstances of sacking of top officials of the Financial Crimes Investigation Service.
"We will discuss the current situation with coalition partners, but the prime minister is responsible for the government's operations," said Kubilius, leader of the ruling Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats (conservatives).
Asked whether he trusted Palaitis, the prime minister replied: "Palaitis and the Liberal and Center Union should seriously consider the commission's conclusions."
Kubilius restated his opinion that dismissal of the top officers in charge of investigation of financial crimes was a mistake.
"As far as I understand, the same has been established by the Seimas Anti-Corruption Commission," the prime minister said.
In his words, it is vitally important to ensure public trust in the performance of the law-enforcement, and "such treatment of the top FCIS officers does not contribute to the trust."
On Friday, the Anti-Corruption Commission suggested that dismissed FCIS director Vitalijus Gailius and his deputy Vytautas Giržadas should be reinstated, also saying that Palaitis, an interior minister delegated by the ruling Liberal and Center Union, should be dismissed along with Deputy Prosecutor General Darius Raulušaitis.
