Berlin welcomes decision to exclude ‘far-right populists’ from Lithuanian government

updated 14:39

Berlin has welcomed the decision to exclude “far-right populists” – Nemunas Dawn – from the Lithuanian government, German Deputy Foreign Minister Gunther Krichbaum told BNS.

"We appreciate that now a government can be formed without a right-radical and right-populist party, because it was not so easy also for us in Germany sending a brigade to a country knowing that the government is influenced by a right-radical party," Gunther Krichbaum told BNS in an interview published on Tuesday. ​ The Social Democrats decided last weekend to exclude Nemunas Dawn from coalition talks and begin negotiations with the Union of Democrats “For Lithuania”. ​ Krichbaum said Berlin did not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. However, he said he followed developments in other countries because “we all live in one European house”.

"Looking at our own history, we can never tolerate when anti-Semitism and propaganda against Jewish people are part of a political programme,” he said. ​ “This cannot be tolerated by Germany due to our history, and when we heard that this party will join the government in Lithuania, you can imagine that our reactions were very limited and reluctant," Krichbaum added.

Remigijus Žemaitaitis, leader of Nemunas Dawn, was convicted last year of inciting hatred against Jewish people and Holocaust denial. A court of appeals is due to issue its ruling later this year.

The case concerns his posts and public statements regarding Jews and Israel. The politician’s comments had previously drawn a negative reaction from the German embassy in Lithuania. ​ Relations between Lithuania and Germany have grown in recent years, largely driven by Berlin’s commitment to station a brigade in the country by the end of 2027.

Žemaitaitis: ‘interfering in domestic affairs’

Žemaitaitis said the deputy minister’s comments showed Germany meddling in Lithuania’s domestic affairs. ​ “This alone is reason enough to pass a foreign agents law in Lithuania today. It is obvious that Germany imagines Lithuania is a colony; Germany [...] wants to dictate to Lithuanian politicians who should lead,” he told reporters. ​ “This is a shocking announcement and certainly worthy of at least a diplomatic scandal. Can German officials interfere in the internal politics of a state?” he added.​

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