Butkevicius claims education workers' strikes influenced by Russia

Lithuanian Prime Minister, Algirdas Butkevicius, claims that education workers’ trade unions are influenced by Russia. 

Monday, February 22, saw 233 educational institutions across 43 Lithuanian municipalities strike following staff demands for higher wages, plus other reforms. 

At present, the average monthly salary for teachers in Lithuania is 823.4 euros. However, a third of teachers work part time, while a tenth have fewer than nine weekly classes per-week. 

Following a meeting with the opposition in the Lithuanian Parliament (Seimas) on February 23, Butkevicius claimed that he received “information from certain services” that “there’s certain influence from Russia” surrounding the strikes. 

According to the Prime Minister, representatives from Lithuanian trade unions make contact with their Russian counterparts and attend conferences in Moscow and St Petersburg.

Butkevicius also believes that Russia has influence on other issues concerning Lithuanian trade unions.

"Take Komsomolskaya Pravda and read it and you will see what's written there," he said.

Speaker of the Lithuanian Seimas, Loreta Grauziniene, said she would discuss Russia's alleged influence on teachers' trade unions with the leadership of the State Security Department. 

Unlike Butkevicius, she added that she had not received any information from Lithuania's secret services.

Seimas opposition leader, Andrius Kubilius of the conservative Homeland Union – Christian Democrat party, says he was “shocked” by Butkevicius’ choice of words.

"I am honestly shocked by this news,” said Kubilius. “I don’t know whether this information is founded. 

"I suspect that the prime minister is speaking irresponsibly and that is similar to both his and the ruling coalition's behaviour whenever they see any criticism from the opposition, the media or trade unions; they view it as the work of enemies.”

Meanwhile, in an astonishing attack on Butkevicius’ mental state, the leader of the Liberal Movement party, Eligijus Masiulis, suggested Butkevicius “needs either a priest or a psychologist.” 

"I am concerned about the prime minister's condition,” Masiulis lamented to journalists on February 23. “It seems that the prime minister needs either a priest or a psychologist as we've lately heard quite a number of conspiracy theories from his mouth. 

“Firstly, we heard that somebody is trying to topple him and his government, and now we have this statement aimed at discrediting teachers. 

“The prime minister should in fact responsibly weigh his words as this information is scandalous, if it's true.”